There's more to life than Duel Monsters
by golden-sprite
Summary: RyouMalik, BakuraMarik, AnzuMai, HondaShizuka. The launch of Yugi's carreer. An irritated Seto with people issues. Ryou's life a nightmare. A happily insane Malik skipped country. A little yaoi. Ok a little calmer, must continue... need to complete!
1. Many meetings

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch1: Many Meetings

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

As this is my first fanfic ever, please be sparing with the criticisms.

* * *

Yugi Moto sat in class staring out of the window. Outside, the rain beat down on the concrete schoolyard.

_It's a nice change from the heat of summer._ Yugi thought.

During the past few weeks the heat had gotten almost unbearable, a last goodbye of summer before the autumn rains. It was so hot; Yugi even came close to considering not wearing leather!

Yugi smiled as he remembered sweating over the counter of the games shop, looking over the new cards he had bought. He wondered what other kids did in their time off.

_There must be more to life than Duel Monsters._ Yugi cocked his head to the side as he considered that thought. _That's what Anzu always says, perhaps it is true. _But if there was, Yugi had no idea what it could be.

He sighed. _I really ought to concentrate. There's a tournament on at the park on Sunday and I have to believe in my deck and in myself. _

He sighed again. Yugi didn't really feel like doing anything.

He stared at the rain, his thoughts as grey as the rain clouds. _But if I don't duel, what else is there? _

Sure, he had friends; Jounochi, Honda and Anzu. But after the heat and concentration of a duel, hanging out at the games arcade seemed like a waste of time.

Yugi sat looking out of the window, lost in gloomy thoughts.

* * *

Seto Kaiba sat in class, typing on his laptop. He was just contemplating some adjustments to his new prototype duelling disk.

As always, he was pressed for time and though stressed, he appeared calm. Seto's thoughts were always so deeply buried, that emotions did not register on his face. He knew what people called him behind his back but to him, it was irrelevant.

Satisfied, he saved the changes and sat back on his chair. The nuances and struggles of the business world were far more interesting than any hormonal teenagers.

He smirked as he thought that he was one himself. _Well, I suppose there are always exceptions. _

Now that he had some time to spare his thoughts flew to the tournament in the park. He would go and watch it; there was just enough time for a bit of relaxation before he had to get back to work.

Sure, he was the number one player in the world, but after a few years on top, the lack of adequate competition was beginning to sour his passion for the game.

Everything comes too easily, there isn't any challenge. _But I suppose were I to lose my rating, for instance lose to a novice, I would have to build it up again._

Seto pondered that it would probably be good for him to lose a game or two, just to keep himself amused with his hobby.

_Now, how am I going to lose, to a novice, and play any of the monsters in my deck? It would look fake, if all I played were magic and trap cards._

Seto smirked. _And even then I'd probably win._

_I guess I'll just have to find a novice that can beat a Blue Eyes White Dragon. How hard can that be?_

With that thought, Seto decided that he will play in the park on Sunday. _How childish that sounds. _He will play and he will lose. There's nothing like playing about with other people's psyche in your spare time. _In any case, it should be interesting. _

Everyone needs an interesting hobby, Seto reasoned and if he could find someone to beat him in a duel, Duel Monsters might yet again be challenging.

And with that decided, he was soon lost to the world contemplating his latest takeover bid. In the back of his head, the memory that he had an upcoming meeting with the owner of Industrial Illusions, Pegasus.

* * *

Ryou Bakura sat in class, hurriedly copying down notes off the board. He didn't know how important all this was, but he was diligent in his work. Besides, the activity had the added benefit of taking his mind off his worries.

He didn't have any friends to talk to but he was sure that if he did, he wouldn't have them for long.

_How do you explain to someone that you have blank holes in your memory?_

_How do you say that sometimes you find yourself in a place and have no idea how you got there?_

_How do you tell of nightmares where you wake up in a cold sweat, and drag yourself to the mirror, scared to death that your eyes have changed colour to red? _

_It's simple, you can't. Not if you don't want to end up in an insane asylum._

He knew he was scared. That was obvious. His hands were shaking even as he wrote. What he did not know was what he was scared of.

He took a deep breath and resumed the writing he had stopped while thinking. He kept his mind on the algebra and logarithms but alas, that would not last long, he knew. At least no one could notice him back here.

All too soon, Ryou was finished writing down all he needed to know. The teacher was still explaining but all that was just repetition.

As Ryou dropped his pen onto his book, he noticed something that sent shivers down his spine.

_This is not my pen. _

It wasn't. He had seen it before in a fancy shop and stopped to admire it because he could never afford it, and it was beautiful.

_That's the story of my life; I can never have anything beautiful. _His mum had been beautiful but she had died a long time ago, his dad was never home.

He had the flat all to himself, and though it would be a blessing for most teenagers, for him it was not. Ryou had nobody to remind him that dreams were not real, nobody who knew what went on in his head.

_Hell, I don't even know what goes on in my head! _

With that thought, he looked down at the pen once more. This wasn't the first time this had happened.

The shiver was back, making the hair at the nape of his neck stand up. But he knew it was useless to fight it.

The first time it had been a deck of Duel Monsters cards. There had been no repercussions and when he tried to take it back to the shop, they didn't know anything about it.

Ryou was cold with fear and tired with lack of sleep, he sighed.

_Why cards? I don't duel._

_Why a coffee maker? I don't drink coffee. _

_Why a set of books on ancient Egypt? I don't read non-fiction. _

_Why the bracelets, and revealing, hugging clothes? I would never wear them. _

_Why the pen?_

He looked at the pen, lying before him, begging to be used. He thought through the other items. They were useful, he did not dispute that, but if he wasn't using them, then who was?

Ryou shivered, remembering empty coffee cups in the sink, the strange clothes in his dirty laundry basket, the half open book on Egypt by the couch and most recently, the cards laid out like a fortuneteller might do.

He shook his head to clear it. The bell was ringing, and he had yet to pack up his books. Lunch, and the usual groups, which he was not a part of.

_Oh well, school is better than home any day._

The holidays had almost driven me insane with boredom; there is only so much studying the brain can handle.

_What I need is a hobby, no scratch that, what I really need is a life._

And thinking back to the foreign things in his flat, he started packing.

* * *

Malik Ishtar stood watching as the rain drenched everything in sight, himself included.

_Thank Ra Ishizu decided I was grown up enough to have my own life to do with as I please._

He ran one nervous hand through his wet hair, clinking his golden bracelets. _So this is the school I'll be attending. _

The buildings of the school stood tall and imposing as thunder cracked over his head. Through the wire fence he could see some students sitting outside in the sheltered entrance.

Malik felt the cold of the rain seeping into his bones and smiled.

The numbness induced by the cold counteracted the warm nervousness in the pit of his stomach marvellously.

_I'm going to have to get some clothes. _He mused, laughing, at this madness.

The last thing he remembered was wishing he could have a life of his own as he fell asleep on his bed.

He woke up in a different country, in a grey apartment block, with a short note on his empty fridge, reminding him that he was expected at school on the second day back and that he had a part time job at the arcade.

He found a plane ticket in his trashcan, a new school uniform on his couch, alongside his schoolbooks and uniform for work.

He presumed the apartment had come furnished. He had a couch, a bed, an empty fridge, a small bathroom and an empty closet.

He had found a bankcard in the pocket of his jeans along with a driver's license. The ATM printed him a receipt that stated he had spent all his money on a motorbike.

This was why Malik stood soaking in his sleeveless cotton top and jeans.

Malik laughed again, the sound lost in a crash of thunder. He glanced over at the motorbike behind him and smirked.

_It is well that I studied those books on motorcycle repair and operation back home._

He mused about how much of his savings had been spent on them, and that when she had found out, his sister had been furious. It was of course no use telling Ishizu that he didn't do it.

Malik shrugged. It didn't matter now, they had been useful.

An ironic smile appeared on his face, lit by lightning. _Whatever life throws at me, can be useful for later. _

Malik sighed, feeling he had no control over his life. But then, he had never wanted control.

_So far, it's turning out all right, isn't it?_

Malik shivered and walked back to his motorcycle. School started tomorrow, and he might as well get started on labelling his stationary and browsing his books.

This was his chance for his own life; he did not want to blow it.

* * *

Yugi sat in the sheltered entrance to the school, eating lunch.

"No, don't do that Jounochi. Remember, he has a face down card on the field, it might be a trap." Anzu directed.

Honda sat across from Jounochi, trying to make his face unreadable as Jounochi glared at him suspiciously. "Let him play what he wants Anzu. He'll never learn if you keep telling him what to do"

Honda and Jounochi had wolfed their lunch down quickly, before staring a game. Anzu shrugged and went back to her lunch.

Yugi stared across the courtyard through the rain. There was a blonde boy behind the fence watching them. Yugi wondered who he was.

_He doesn't look like he's from around here. He certainly isn't dressed for the weather. What is he doing here? _

The boy looked behind, to what Yugi assumed was his motorbike. Yugi ate thoughtfully as the boy got on and rode off.

"Yugi, are you all right?" Anzu asked, breaking into his thoughts. "You're very quiet today."

Yugi looked over to her and smiled. "I'm fine, I was just thinking. Do you think Jounochi's ready for the tournament?"

Anzu looked over at the duel, where Honda's monster was caught in a trap. She smiled. "He certainly seems to be getting better quickly."

"Well, none of us really have much of a chance if Seto Kaiba decides to duel." Honda pointed out.

Jounochi smiled. "That jerk? I could beat him blindfolded."

Yugi shook his head, and started sorting through his own deck, deep in thought. _Hmm, if Seto Kaiba decides to duel…_

* * *

Seto sat on a bench behind the school. The rain that kept everyone indoors was beating on the umbrella held over his head by a 'suit'. The man's name was the last thing on Seto's mind.

His laptop was open, connected to the Internet and quickly running out of battery. Seto's frown deepened as he sorted through his e-mail.

Pegasus, the man may be the head of Industrial Illusions but he definitely has a screw loose. Seto had gotten at least three e-mails from Pegasus, each insisting on a different day and place for their meeting.

Just then his phone rang. Seto slammed the computer shut, and deposited it in his ever-present briefcase. He took out his mobile, which was playing the theme from Pokemon. He shook his head. _Mokuba._

"Seto Kaiba. Make it quick."

"Sir, there is a problem with the merger."

"Well?"

"The negotiations have come to a standstill. They insist on speaking with you in person."

Seto nodded, he had been expecting this. Maintaining his cold tone, he inquired and received the particulars. "I'll be right there." He said after a moment's thought.

He dialled a number, and stated that he was to be excused from school due to family circumstances. Seto had found that one phrase to be very efficient in dispensing with annoying questions.

"I'll ask Yugi Moto to give you the work you will miss." The voice of the secretary stated before he snapped the phone shut.

Seto stood and made his way to the front gate as the bell rang.

* * *

The bell rang. Ryou smiled at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. _At least I look perfectly normal._

He was slightly worried about the maths quiz the teacher promised them at the end of the lesson. Ryou waited for the footsteps of excited students to fade away into the distance. Then he walked slowly back into the nearly empty classroom.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes, thankyou." Ryou replied bowing to the teacher. He bent over and put away his books, giving a polite bow and "Good afternoon" as he left.

Ryou walked the quiet corridor, to the front doors. It was still raining, but most of the kids were walking home regardless, holding either umbrellas or their jackets over their heads.

He stood quietly in the sheltered entrance. _I'll just wait for the rain to stop._

He smiled wryly._ It's not like I have anything better to do. And I am definitely not in a hurry to get home._

After a while the rain eased up enough for Ryou to walk home. The light drizzle ensured that he was soaked by the time he got home.

When Ryou turned on the lights he was greeted by the familiar mess. The clothes that he didn't buy had commandeered his bedroom wardrobe and no matter how many times he tried, his normal clothes were always on the floor in the living room when he woke up.

The sink was full of coffee cups he never drank from and an angry note he didn't write was plastered to the fridge. Minus the obscenities it ran along the lines of:

"Wash the COFFEE CUPS!!"

Ryou sighed and arranged his clothes into a neat pile behind the couch. He rinsed the coffee cups, and loaded them into the dishwasher. He changed out of his school uniform into loose jeans, and the usual green shirt and white jumper.

Ryou hung his uniform to dry on the rack in the laundry. He unloaded the washing machine, ironed the clothes he didn't wear and returned them to his wardrobe.

He made himself a cup of hot chocolate and turned on the news. As an afterthought he checked the answering machine, surprised that there was a message…

… Yami no Bakura listened to the message from his pawnbroker telling him that the item he brought in last week had fetched a nice price.

Bakura looked down at what he was wearing and grimaced. He quickly took off the offending clothes, dumping them on the table beside the answering machine.

With quick, economical yet graceful steps he walked into Ryou's bedroom and selected some clothes out of his wardrobe.

He settled for hugging black leather pants and a crimson sleeveless t-shirt with 'devil' written across the front in gothic lettering. As an afterthought he snatched a warm black jacket from one of the hangers.

He stepped into the kitchen, automatically opening the cupboard and cursed. There were no more cups left. What's worse, he had run out of coffee. Bakura glanced at the sink, smirked, then tore his note off the fridge.

He turned off the news, downed the hot chocolate in one draught, wincing with disgust and switched off the light before he left.

* * *

Malik locked the apartment and made his way downstairs in his work uniform. _It isn't that bad_, he reflected, _at least I get paid_.

His flat was walking distance from the arcade, so he didn't take the bike. Besides, he doubted if the management would look kindly on his owning one.

The arcade was on the first floor of the mall, across from a big fountain that decorated the heart of the giant complex. It was very big and apparently very popular. Teenagers of all shapes and sizes played games, joked around and ate refreshments.

Malik spotted an authoritative member of the staff, and walked over.

"Hi." He said, feeling butterflies do summersaults in his stomach. "I'm Malik Ishtar." He clarified.

"I'm Ludo, the manager." The imposing man looked more like a bouncer than a manager. "You familiar with Duel Monsters?"

"Sure." Malik smiled, the grin the man returned was frightening.

"Well, you can referee the matches in the arena out back." He pointed behind him with his thumb. "The feed goes live to that screen over there." He added grinning. "The shift roster's in the staff room. It's sorta first come, first serve, so you'd better hurry if you want decent working hours."

Malik nodded then walked quickly, dodging teenagers, to the staffroom. It was a dismal little hole with electric lights, a drinks dispenser, fridge and a roster board. There was a mouldy old couch in the corner. It looked like the employer didn't encourage the staff to be in the staffroom any longer than necessary.

He walked over to the roster and quickly took the remaining blank spots after school. Apparently the kids working here wanted free time after school to go to the arcade. He couldn't blame them, but that meant the weekends were fully staffed, leaving him free time. _I'll have to think of something to do on the weekend._

So, having arranged his working hours for after school, until ten at night every weekday, he left.

Malik made his way through the chatting teenagers to the back of the arcade, where crowds were sitting on couches in front of a screen showing the duelling arena.

Malik spotted a guy in uniform, whose nametag said 'Honda'.

"Hi there." He said. "I'm new, um you couldn't show me the way to the arena? I'm meant to be the referee."

Honda smiled. "Sure Malik, but you know, Ludo always assigns the new guys to the arena, it can be kinda hard if you don't know what you're doing. Hey, I know!" He said looking over at the cash register. "Do you want to swap? Know how to work a cash register?"

Malik smiled. "I'd love to, but you'll have to teach me."

Honda gestured for Malik to come behind the counter. "Here I'll show you. Mostly people want money changed into coins for the machines. The refreshments stand has its own cash register. Oh, and you'll get kids wanting prizes for the tokens they win." He gestured over at the prizes display. "It's kinda boring once you get the hang of it."

_He probably wants to do the arena because he's bored here. Well, if it's easy then I can't muck it up. _"Thanks. Are you sure Ludo won't mind?"

"Nah," smiled Honda "he never keeps track of who's doing what." And with that, he showed Malik how to open the cash register and where the prizes were kept. As soon as Malik said he could handle it, Honda left for the duelling arena.

The novelty of his job soon wore off; the customers who approached him were few and far between. Malik found himself watching the screen where the kids played Duel Monsters. He smiled at the rare interesting plays and winced at the blatant mistakes that were often displayed. Regardless of the skill of the players, and perhaps because of it's poor quality (at least for Malik's standards) his eyes stayed glued to the screen.

_It's amazing how many mistakes they're making. _He thought of the latest pair. _It's funny but they're both so bad I have no idea who's going to win._

He smiled. Malik was so engrossed that he did not notice the white haired teenager dressed in black and red, coffee jar in hand, who leaned over to whisper into his ear.

"I'd recognise that smile anywhere." Malik jumped and stepped back from the teenager who leaned over the counter. The familiar address was surprising. He had never seen this boy who had red eyes…

…Yami no Malik noted the smile on the other boy's face, heart still racing. "For Ra's sake, thief, don't do that."

Bakura's smile widened in a grin as he leaned on the counter. He made a mock bow, restricted by his position. " Do not expect manners from a brigand, My Lord."

Marik laughed, in remembrance. "Bakura, long time no see." He said fondly, a mischievous light playing in his deep blue eyes. "I'm meant to be working, you know." He scolded.

Bakura shook his head in mock sadness. "My condolences Marik." Then, with a sudden evil grin. "I know how much you hate real work."

Marik acknowledged Bakura's point with a nod of his head, his eyes going back to the duelling screen. Something was bothering him, something he saw. "Bakura, what's with the coffee?"

Bakura stood straight and shrugged obviously uncomfortable. "Ryou Bakura doesn't sleep well."

Marik's eyes danced with a mischievous light. "Is the legendary Tomb Robber getting soft in his old age?" But the thought didn't sit well with him. In fact, it hurt.

Bakura placed the coffee jar on the counter, leaning over it towards Marik. "Don't be stupid," his eyes flashed angrily.

Marik grinned maniacally, half of his attention on the duel, half on Bakura. "What's he got that I don't?" He was getting thoroughly heartsick of the topic, Bakura's obvious discomfort and the doubts this brought to his mind.

Bakura had his head cocked sideways in thought as he studied Marik intently.

Marik smirked wickedly, as his thoughts switched with lightning rapidity. "I almost forgot. I still owe you for that incident in Spain." He glanced at Bakura, satisfied when the other blushed with the memory. "I have a card that is just begging to be in your deck."

Bakura soon had the blush under control, all business. "When do you get off?"

"Ten." Marik sighed. "It's six now." He added looking over at the digital clock on the duelling screen.

Bakura nodded. "I can't stick around. Ryou Bakura has a math test tomorrow." An idea occurred to him. "Hey, you're going to school, aren't you?"

Marik nodded, a smile growing on his lips. "Malik Ishtar has a math test tomorrow too. It's his first day." Then Marik frowned. "But Malik Ishtar does not know I have the card. Nor can he know, and he has work on weekdays."

Bakura smirked. "Now who's gone soft?"

Marik shook his head. "You're not the one who has nothing to wear outside of school and work."

Bakura studied his coffee jar thoughtfully as he fought a blush at the thought of Marik with nothing to wear. "Umm, Saturday then?"

Marik frowned at the ease with which Bakura stopped the banter. Then he reviewed his last comment. A wicked smile played on his lips. "Saturday at the latest."

Bakura looked up to find Marik staring him straight in the eyes, with a breath catching intensity. Recovering from the surprise at finding Marik unchanged despite the years apart, Bakura stared right back, matching Marik's smile. "I can lend you some clothes if you like, bring the card to my place."

Their eyes stayed locked for a bit, then Marik walked over to Bakura, who was still leaning on the counter. He leaned over so their faces were inches apart. Bakura leaned forward further and smiling, Marik leaned past him to whisper into his ear. "Call me."

He felt Bakura shiver and straightened, satisfied. He was still smiling while he noted down his number on a handy pad beside the cash register. Bakura gracefully took the offered piece of paper, and straightened. As he walked away, he slipped the number into the back pocket of his hugging black pants.

Marik chuckled, as he turned unseeing to the duelling screen…

…Malik smiled absently watching the duellists, feeling content for the first time since waking up in this country. He did not stop to wonder why as a little girl's face appeared just above the counter. The night wore on, with customers and the duelling screen as entertainment.

At ten, Honda roused Malik from a thrilling duel. "Hey, shift's over. I hope it wasn't too boring for you."

Malik shook his head. "Do you mind if we keep it like this?"

Honda grinned widely. "You've got yourself a deal, Malik."

They shook hands and walked out of the arcade towards the parking lot. Honda broke the meditative silence. "Hey, I haven't seen you around here before."

"I'm not from around here. I just moved." Malik explained "I'm starting school tomorrow." Just then, they reached the parking lot and Malik stared in awe as Honda walked over to a motorbike. "Is this yours?"

Honda nodded and the conversation became highly technical.


	2. A Penny For His Thoughts

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch2: A Penny For His Thoughts.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

* * *

F L A S H B A C K

The Renaissance

Spain, Madrid.

The carnival was in full swing. On one of the great plazas of the city, sat a young French noble. The fountain was splashing behind him and the lights of the many torches played in his laughing blue eyes, as he entertained a beautiful lady with anecdotes from the French court.

People all around them were laughing, dancing, singing and drinking. Nobles mixed with commoners, all in their finest clothes. A dark man had been watching the couple unseen, rage building on his face every time they laughed. Suddenly, he separated himself from the crowd and walked over.

His sword flashing as angrily as his eyes, he faced the woman. A hush fell across the plaza.

"Maria, may I interrupt?"

The lady did not look so much surprised as pleased. She smiled and nodded, moving back to the now gawking crowd.

The man turned to Malik Martinez. Malik swallowed. As good as he was with the sword, he was also out of practice. The man was by all appearances heavier, stronger and looked like his blade was merely an extension of his arm.

"Golden haired lord, I demand you duel me for this lady's time."

Bravely, Malik drew his sword. He managed a brilliant smile.

_If there has ever been such a thing, this is a good day to die._ He thought, his eyes flashing with near insane mirth.

"Gladly." He answered with a mock bow, standing from his seat by the fountain.

Just then, a white haired young man stepped in front of him, shielding Malik from his opponent. With his opponent hidden from view, Malik studied the youth with avid interest. The young man wore common garb, and for his slight build stood his ground with amazing determination. Malik smiled wryly as he considered that this brave young man was no match for his opponent, and the intervention may now bring the price of one life up to two.

"Keep your lady to yourself, Andreas." The young man's voice rang angrily through the plaza.

In the distance, the sounds of the carnival could be heard, and the crowd watched with the anticipation of a captive audience. Malik smiled. _At lest we are providing a good night's entertainment for these folks. Hey, we might even be remembered._

"Sure Degas," came the laughing reply of Malik's opponent, followed by the sound of a sheathed sword and retreating footsteps.

The young man turned around and judging by the once again oblivious laughing crowd, Malik guessed he could put away his weapon. He was relieved, but only for himself. Since the young man with white hair had been the friend of this Andreas, there could have been no danger to him.

Malik sheathed his sword. "Your friend has no manners." Malik said disgruntled.

Degas bowed. "Don't expect manners from a brigand, My Lord."

Malik looked into the earnest green eyes full of concern and felt somewhat appeased. He grinned. "I am Malik Martinez, and I am in your debt." He said bowing.

"Degas Bakura." Came the reply, with a smile.

The carnival continued all around them, oblivious to any interruption…

…Bakura looked at Marik, red eyes into deep blue. "Pay me back later."…

… A hesitant Degas swallowed as he looked into the laughing sky-blue eyes of the lord. "May I paint you, my lord?"

Malik's laughing blue eyes widened. "Certainly."

F L A S H B A C K

* * *

Yugi Moto arrived at school early. This was not unusual, but today was different, today he was early enough to be the second person in class. He walked into the classroom, noting that Seto Kaiba was sitting at the front as always.

_I hope I'm not interrupting anything important. _Yugi swallowed nervously as he stopped by Seto Kaiba's desk.

"Excuse me, Seto?"

"Kaiba." The reply was short, to the point and delivered without a pause in typing. "You will address me as Kaiba."

"Uh, Kaiba?" Yugi's hands fumbled in his bag. He was frowning. _He doesn't have to be rude. _Yugi shrugged. _Maybe he's still half asleep or maybe he's busy. Where did I put it? Ah, here!_

He pulled out some neatly labelled notes and handed them to Seto with a smile.

"The teacher wanted me to give you this."

When no reply was forthcoming, Yugi sighed and shaking his head moved to go to his normal seat.

_Wait a second! He froze in mid step. Why speculate, when I can ask now?_

"Kaiba?" He asked quietly, glancing over his shoulder. Yugi kept his shaking hands on his bag.

"Yes?" came the disgruntled reply.

"Are you going to duel in the tournament on Sunday?" Yugi asked keeping his voice light.

The pause seemed unbearably long. Yugi could hear his heart racing.

Finally, Kaiba deigned to answer. "Yes." Came the staple monosyllabic reply. "Are you?"

Yugi's eyes widened; the addition was unexpected. He managed a smile as Seto turned to regard him intently. "Of course." Yugi replied, one hand behind his head.

Seto nodded, "Good luck then," and turned back to his typing.

Yugi was stunned speechless for a few moments. _Seto Kaiba wished me luck!_

Yugi shook his head ruefully, sitting down. _He was probably just being polite. No, forget that, Kaiba's never polite. He could have been sarcastic._

Regardless, as students filed into class, Yugi stared at the overcast sky outside, lost to the world, strategically planning how to defeat a Blue Eyes White Dragon.

_Thanks Kaiba. I'll need all the luck I can get._

* * *

Seto Kaiba smirked as he sat back in his seat. He was slow to resume typing.

_Yugi Moto, if I'm not mistaken, and I never am, is a veritable unknown in the game._

He was distracted by the beep that indicated his battery was charged. Seto packed up the electric cord, and then resumed his work – a long brief on company policy in dealing with the latest takeover. It was the same old firing of the inefficient, promoting of the talented and streamlining of procedures. The work was banal and his mind went back to the intriguing proposition from yesterday.

_A novice is what I required, and a novice is what I have. Yugi Moto, congratulations. You are about to become one of the most famous duellists in the world. _

Seto smiled and amended the last.

_Well, that is if, you are able to beat my Blue Eyes White Dragon._

Decided, he went back to the brief. Seto simultaneously checked his e-mail, frustrated by more messages from Pegasus.

_That man is nuts. I'll have to deal with this personally._ He reflected for a moment. _Perhaps that is what he's been wanting all along._

Students filed into class, opening books all around him. Seto glanced at the copy of Yugi's notes, dropped them into his briefcase and resumed typing.

* * *

Ryou Bakura sat staring at the board, oblivious to the revision going on around him.

He smiled. An uninterrupted night's sleep had been just what he needed.

_Maybe I felt sleepy watching the news and went to bed. So I must've had more than twelve hours' sleep._

Suddenly a nagging thought sent an ice-cold shiver down his spine.

_There was new coffee in the cupboard. And my clothes were by the answering machine._

Ryou thought back to yesterday. He had been watching the news, he remembered that much. Ryou also knew that today he woke up in bed.

He shrugged. _I'm probably just edgy, blank holes in your memory tend to make you edgy._

Ryou looked down as a piece of paper was placed in front of him, face down.

The math test.

And with that thought, Ryou went back over the material revised this morning in his flat. He didn't notice the teacher's words or the boy standing nervously in front of the class.

* * *

Malik Ishtar's stomach was complaining about the breakfast he missed because he overslept, the eyes staring at him from all over the room didn't help the matter.

As the teacher introduced him, he studied the students who had empty seats next to them.

A boy with tricolour hair was sitting alone at the back, staring out of the window at the overcast sky.

A tall brown haired boy had glanced up at him with piercing sapphire eyes that had then returned to his laptop. _Wait! That must be Seto Kaiba, the world's number one duellist. He's reputedly anti social, but then he has the right to be a bastard. _Malik smiled. _If I had a company to run, was a renowned genius, the best at Duel Monsters and was still stuck going to school, I'd be anti social too._

His glance shifted to the far corner of the room. A boy with soft green eyes stared through Malik disconcertingly.

_A penny for his thoughts._

A tall boy with brown hair that was lounging around in the back row, smiling, arrested his wondering gaze.

_Honda?_

Malik smiled back and when the teacher finished relating his personal history, Honda waved him over.

"Hi." Malik said when he sat down beside the boy. "I didn't know you went here."

Honda nodded, then noticing that the tricolour haired boy was looking at them inquisitively from his nearby seat, proceded with introductions.

"Yugi, this is Malik, a friend from work. Malik, this is Yugi, one of my best friends." Malik smiled at Yugi. "And this is Anzu." He said gesturing to a brown haired girl who was frowning over her notes. She looked up for a second, smiled, then went back to her studying.

"Nice to meet you, Malik." Yugi said sincerely, he then turned to Honda. "Where is Jounochi?"

Honda shrugged the matter off. "He probably overslept, you know Jounochi." He then turned to Malik. "So, did you drive to school?"

"Yes," Malik nodded, "I live too far to walk. Oh, I wanted to ask you about…" He didn't get to finish as a blonde boy rushed into the classroom out of breath.

"And that," Honda smiled, "is Jounochi."

Jounochi looked haggard, as if he had slept in his school uniform. He was apologizing profusely to the teacher, who was unmoved by his pleas and gave him lunchtime detention. Unfazed, he grinned at Honda as he walked over and sat next to Yugi.

"Who's your new friend?" he asked, smiling.

"Jounochi, this is Malik. He's new here, and works with me at the arcade." Honda explained.

Jounochi nodded, shook Malik's hand, then looked down onto his desk and panicked. "The math test!"

Malik looked down too, for the first time noticing the piece of paper on his desk.

Anzu glanced up from her notes with a long-suffering sigh. She noticed Malik's pallor and smiled. "Malik, here, you can borrow my notes." So saying, she handed her notes to the relieved Malik.

"Thanks." Said Malik with a smile. Jounochi protested such unfair treatment until a smiling Yugi handed him his notes.

Malik's nervousness had evaporated to be replaced by deep contentment. _This is too good to be true. _He thought of his new friends. _If only I could say the same thing about this math test. _And with that, he went over Anzu's neat notes until the teacher ordered quiet and the beginning of the test.

* * *

Yugi sat on a bench after school, smiling as the newest member of their group asked Honda's advice on the finer points of motorcycle maintenance. Yugi was cheerfully waiting for Jounochi to appear, but something nagged at the back of his mind.

_Of course! This is the boy I saw yesterday in the rain._

"Malik," he said unsure of how to phrase what he wanted to say. He smiled as a much more intriguing question popped into his head. "Do you play Duel Monsters?"

Malik smiled his wild, brilliant smile. "Of course, doesn't everyone?"

"Almost everyone." Yugi agreed. "There's a tournament on in the park on Sunday, do you want to come?"

"Sure, who's playing?" Malik returned, enthusiastically.

"None other than Seto Kaiba himself." Yugi smiled at the surprise his news elicited.

"Seto Kaiba?" Jounochi said, walking up to them, "What's mister high and mighty doing playing in an amateur tournament?"

"Jounochi's right" Anzu agreed. "There is no reason for him to compete."

Honda nodded. "Are you sure Yugi?"

Yugi nodded at the frowning faces of his friends. "I asked him and he said he was."

"Since when does Seto Kaiba condescend to give interviews?" Said Jounochi, then he shrugged. "Oh well, one more duellist to beat."

Yugi smiled at his friend's confident grin. "Be careful Jounochi, don't get overconfident."

"I can't help it if I'm good Yugi." Returned Jounochi, smiling.

"No matter how good you get, there's always someone better." Added Malik, agreeing with Yugi.

Before Jounochi could reply, Yugi changed the subject.

"Why were you late to class today, Jounochi?"

"Oh that," Jounochi's smile was replaced by a frown. "Shizuka called. She has to go to the doctor so she can figure out how long she's got until she goes blind." Then he added for Malik's benefit. "Shizuka is my little sister, she lives with my mum and I haven't seen her since she was little."

_Poor Jounochi. _

The group's mood changed as they offered Jounochi what support they could through helpful comments on the competence of doctors.

* * *

Seto, lost in thought, walked past the students hanging around after school.

_Should I pick Mokuba up from school?_

His trail of thought was suddenly disrupted by the theme from Pokemon. Seto automatically answered his mobile.

"Kaiba here."

"Kaiba boy!" came the emphatic and all too familiar greeting. "Did you get my e-mails? All of them? I know, you say I never write…"

Seto's thoughts did a double take, as he shuddered. _Pegasus._

"… you should have seen his face! It was priceless!" There was a pause. "You're not really listening are you?"

"I saw the match." _Well, his rating is screwed. I doubt we'll be seeing Bandit Keith in the regionals._

"Mmm, speaking of which, how is the programming going for the new cards?"

"It's done. We still have a few bugs to iron out."

"Is Weevil Underwood giving trouble again?"

"You could say that. Some of the moves for the new bug cards are incompatible. We're working to update the software."

"What about that prototype duelling disk, that you were playing around with Kaiba boy?"

"Nothing doing. It'll never be ready in time for the regionals. The launching mechanism is busted and for some reason there is a static discharge that wipes the memory periodically, so after five moves, the disk has to be reprogrammed. Also it tends to randomly summon Kareebo." Seto paused for effect. "With Multiply in play."

He could hear Pegasus laughing darkly. "So if you used it for the regionals, all duels would be limited to five turns (provided you could launch your duelling disk in the first place) and mists of Kareebo would blanket the field."

"Yes."

"Well, it's an improvement. At least there's no electric shock at the end of every turn, anymore. Kaiba boy, I so envy your position." There was a sigh. "It sounds like so much fun!"

Seto smirked. He had only recently managed to get over the apprehension he got whenever he finished a turn with that god-forsaken disk.

"Oh, Kaiba boy, speaking of business… We were speaking of business weren't we?" Seto could imagine Pegasus shrugging. "I have come across a most extraordinary young man."

"And."

"And, he is developing a new game, using the same monsters. A sort of twisted version, if you can imagine that. Oh, with dice. He calls it Dungeon Dice Monsters. I thought you would be interested. It could be as big as Duel Monsters. His name is Otogi, and I thought you might like to meet him. He's here with me right now. We just finished playing; I must say the game is very engaging, Kaiba boy. Otogi already created the software, all that needs to be done is the marketing, and perhaps a few adjustments here and there?"

"I have school." Seto said spitefully. "Saturday's open."

"Saturday it is then. I assume you have a conference room at Kaiba Corp. Let's see. If we take the helicopter, and don't wake up too early, we should be there by one."

"Don't be late."

Seto slammed his phone shut.

_Hmm, it's cutting it close, but I should be able to make it to Mokuba's soccer match. _

As always, pressed for time, Seto got into the waiting limousine. He still had the merger to finalize, the upgrade of the duelling software to oversee and that board meeting. If he was lucky, he could have enough time to do some work on the god-forsaken duelling disk.

_I have to do something about those Kareebo._

* * *

Ryou was in a hurry to get home. The overcast sky was threatening rain and he didn't want to get caught in the downpour.

He arrived at his flat seconds before the first drops fell. Ryou walked in…

… Bakura walked out. He wore the same thing as yesterday except the warm black jacket had been exchanged for a long black coat complete with hood.

_White hair can be such a drawback. Especially when you don't want to be recognised._

He checked that the money he received yesterday was still in his pocket. The Duel Monsters deck was there as well, just in case. As an afterthought he had grabbed the book on Ancient Egypt that he was currently reading.

Bakura smirked. _As pointless as it is to study a culture long past, it is entertaining what the historians get wrong._

With that, he left the apartment block, pulling his hood cover his hair. He got into the waiting taxi and went off to the mall.

There, he proceeded past the lab rats in the maze of shops, into the rarely frequented corner. Here stood a dilapidated old store with the peeling red-letter sign 'awn Sho'. He proceeded inside.

The semi darkness in the shop was mainly due to no internal lighting and grimy windows. The shelves were covered with dust, proudly displaying scissors with only one blade, a shrunken head in a jar that had a small leak, and other assorted junk. A collection of doorknobs hung on the back wall. Near them was a sign 'not for sale'. Bakura regarded the two ps removed from the sign, which now leaned against the ancient cash register. As there was no bell to announce his presence he settled for drumming his fingers on the counter.

Almost instantaneously from the darkness beneath the counter, appeared a repulsive man, as wide as the grin plastered on his face.

"It's good to see you my boy! What'll it be today, purchase or pawn?"

Bakura nodded greeting, then pointed to the small p. The beady eyes of the man lit up.

"Well, I don't think we're in the market for anything at the moment. I'll call you if something comes up, eh?"

Bakura nodded again then left the shop. When he got outside, he cursed softly. Money was welcome, but when it came to caution the man was an incompetent buffoon.

_So how come he never gets caught?_

The thought was startling.

_Perhaps he's better than he looks. A lot better._

Bakura walked over to a nearby set of lockers and deposited a beautiful and expensive pen in locker number 13. He smirked.

_Now for some shopping._

After which, he walked off and soon lost himself in the crowd. Bakura took off his coat as soon as he was sure he wasn't being watched and proceeded to address the matter of Marik's clothes. He had money to spend, more like money to burn and had decided to buy Marik some clothes instead of lending. His eyes sparkled evilly as he contemplated the possibilities.

* * *

Malik walked through the mall, quietly enjoying the company of his new friends. They had met up at the entrance, Malik, Anzu and Honda dressed for work. Yugi was in his usual leather, Jounochi as always casual.

Malik was glad that Jounochi wasn't one to brood, and Shuzuka's predicament was if not forgotten, put gently aside.

"Did you see the exhibition match between Pegasus and Bandit Keith?" Jounochi was asking animatedly.

Yugi nodded reflectively, "Pegasus may not act like it, but he is a great strategist."

"But he isn't exactly the nicest guy." Commented Honda. "Bandit Keith ended up technically losing to a kid, remember? It'll take him forever to get his rating back."

Jounochi agreed sagely. "I've known guys like him. I doubt he'll take it lying down."

"Well he won't make it to the regionals, that's for sure." Honda asserted.

Yugi disagreed. "He still might. If he picks his games well, he could gain his rating back."

Malik lost interest in the conversation and his attention drifted. They were now nearing the arcade.

"Hey!" Anzu put her hand on Yugi's shoulder effectively ending what was beginning to be a heated discussion. She was pointing towards the fountain. "Isn't that Ryou Bakura, from school?"

"Yeah, it looks like him," Yugi agreed.

"Let's go over and say hi." Jounochi said genially.

They made their way over to the white haired boy. He was lost to the world, lying on the edge of the fountain, engrossed in a book. His coat and shopping bags were arranged neatly on the ground beside him.

"Hey, there Ryou, that's a lot of shopping bags." Commented Anzu.

The white haired boy glanced up, his red eyes meeting Malik's…

…Green eyes looked away from Malik's to take stock of the situation.

Malik was flabbergasted. _I could have sworn his eyes were red_…

…Ryou blushed with embarrassment. "Um, hello." He pushed himself up to sit, fingering his bracelet nervously. The others took his cue and sat down on the ground in front of him.

_So this is Ryou Bakura_. Marik thought. He studied the boy intently. _He looks uncomfortable, like the clothes he's wearing don't fit. But of course, they're Bakura's clothes._

"What're you reading?" Jounochi asked pleasantly.

Ryou looked surprised to find a book in his hand. "A book on ancient Egypt." He said after looking at the title.

"Can I see?" Marik asked pleasantly, trying to suppress the mischievous glint in his eyes, and act as Malik like as possible.

"Of course," said Ryou politely, feeling himself on firmer ground. He handed Marik the book.

_So this is what Bakura's reading. Yes, I can see why he'd find it entertaining. _He handed the book back, and turned to regard the shopping bags._ I wonder what Bakura's been buying_...

… Marik looked up from the shopping bags to find red eyes regarding him intently for a split second…

…He smiled friendlily for the sake of appearances and sighed in forced patience…

Malik smiled vaguely at Ryou. "Been shopping?" he inquired politely.

Ryou looked uneasily at the shopping bags. "Yes, I have bought a lot, haven't I?"

In the ensuing pause, Malik could hear that the interrupted discussion from earlier had resumed where it left off and was only now concluding.

"Provided he plays highly rated players in a couple of small tournaments, I still say that it's possible for Bandit Keith to regain his place at the regionals." Yugi said in summation.

"Hey Yugi, speaking of small tournaments, we should practice for Sunday." Jounochi stated seriously.

"Is that a challenge?"

Yugi's smile was met by Jounochi's grin. "You bet it is."

Anzu smiled in resignation, as the two stood and made their way over to the arcade. "It's been nice to see you Ryou, but I'm late for work" She said, standing and going in the opposite direction from the two laughing boys.

"I'd better go make sure Jounochi stays out of trouble." Said Honda worriedly. "I'll see you inside, Malik." Honda added over his shoulder as he hurried after his friends.

Malik was left facing Ryou. That was when he noticed that the bookmark had fallen out of the book. It was a Duel Monsters card. In fact, it was the Change Of Heart card. He handed it to a blushing Ryou, intrigued.

He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "Do you play Duel Monsters?"

Ryou seemed more nervous than ever. "No." he said, shaking his head. "That is, not very well." Then, feeling the need, added helpfully. "I have a deck."

_He's very polite but he seems very shy. A penny for his thoughts. _

Malik smiled, and followed his impulse. "I'm Malik Ishtar, by the way." He offered his hand.

"Ryou Bakura." Said Ryou shaking his hand. He seemed more at ease.

"I just moved here recently. It was my first day of school yesterday." Malik continued.

Ryou looked concerned. "Did you have to sit the math test?"

"Yeah," Malik shrugged. Then added with a mischievous smile. "If it wasn't for Anzu's notes, I would have failed for sure."

Ryou smiled politely. Malik groaned inwardly. He was curious about Ryou and the boy's reserve was frustrating. _If I didn't know better, I'd say he looks exactly like I feel when I have one of my more inopportune memory lapses._

He tried his last resort. "There's a tournament on in the park on Sunday. It's small, but Seto Kaiba said he'd duel. Do you want to come with us?"

Ryou frowned. "I'm not really very good."

Malik smiled. "Let me see your deck."

Blushing, Ryou extracted his deck from his coat pocket. Malik looked through the well balanced, ghost centred deck. _A ghost, that's just like him. I wonder I didn't see it before. He looks uncomfortable in those clothes. Funny, they don't seem to be his style. _Malik handed the deck back, smiling as Ryou quickly returned it to the pocket.

"Well, judging by your deck, you're much better than you give yourself credit for." Malik smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry. There'll be plenty of novices there, and even if you play badly, there will be people who will be worse. Trust me."

"If you say so, I'll be there." Ryou bowed sitting. Malik glanced at the arcade, recalled to the present.

"I have to go and earn my daily bread." He said, laughing as he stood up.

Ryou followed his lead, putting on his coat, neatly slotting the book into one of the shopping bags, all of which he then proceeded to pick up.

"Need any help?" Malik asked, glad for any excuse to keep talking to the reserved boy.

Ryou shook his head, smiling politely. "No thankyou, I should be able to manage." And with a final "Good afternoon," Ryou walked away from Malik.

Malik watched Ryou's retreating form until he was lost in the crowd. He then turned his attention to the arcade. Malik groaned, and muttering about the evils of manual labour, happily went to work, thinking about the ghost with polite green eyes.


	3. Saturday

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch3: Saturday.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

I decided that Anzu really ought to have a life. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Dream of Ryou Bakura**

The rain was falling, hard. The small girl in his arms was still crying, as she clung onto him. He was running, but what from, he didn't know. All he was sure of was that this was the French revolution and Malik was dead.

Yes, he had finally put a name to the face he saw consistently in his dreams. The situations changed but the face was the same. The blonde hair, tanned skin and sky-blue eyes.

There was the feeling of guilt deep in his stomach. He didn't know why. Suddenly he reached a dead end.

He stopped running. The rain was still falling, but the little girl was quiet now. He was panting heavily. His arms set the girl down on the ground, and she looked up at him with blue eyes that brought him pain.

"What about you?" She asked quietly, poised to run as determination and fear fought each other in her voice.

"I doubt you'll see me again." He said, in a voice that was not his own. "Your cousin wanted you safe, gave his life." He faltered. "So stay safe." He looked into her eyes, angrily.

Fear won, and she raced away, towards a nearby house with little red flowers (common scarlet pimpernels) unobtrusively displayed in its second storey window. He smirked as a couple opened the door, and the wife took the girl away. The husband studied him through the rain.

"Malik is smiling in his grave." The man said quietly, in his own way, thanking and comforting someone who had not been a friend. Receiving a scowl in reply, the man closed the door.

The rain fell as he retraced his steps out of the alley and back through the city. When he had gone far enough, he took out an ornate pistol, and knelt in front of a puddle.

"I'm coming" a voice that wasn't his own whispered. He felt cold and numb, as fear coursed through his veins. He looked into the pool, and his breath caught as he saw red eyes looking back at him.

He tried to stop his hand as it put the pistol to his head, but to no avail. The pistol went off and everything went black.

**The Dream of Ryou Bakura**

* * *

Yugi Moto awoke to an unusually quiet bedroom. After a few confused seconds, he smiled. 

_Of course. It's Saturday._

The dawning light lazily filtered through his window to fall on his desk, where his homework lay neatly. It was finished. Yugi smiled at that. He'd been up late last night so he could have the weekend free for the tournament.

The lemon coloured walls were almost completely covered with Duel Monsters posters, player statistics and finished strategy ideas. The soft violet carpet was as always, clothes-free. Yugi was not neat on purpose; he just didn't own that many clothes. His ancient wooden wardrobe housed his uniform and leather. Yugi was sure he did indeed own a pair of jeans – he was equally sure that they would be almost impossible to find.

He yawned and stretched.

What was that dream? I was falling off a cliff. Kaiba was there. Yes, he was standing at the top and laughing.

Yugi shrugged.

Must be just nerves.

Yugi quickly got out of bed, and went to the shower. He could already smell pancakes cooking downstairs.

When he came down, he saw that he was too late. Jounochi was already wolfing down Yugi's breakfast.

Yugi smiled and made himself some toast, careful to stay out of Jounochi's reach.

"Hi Yugi" said Jounochi around a mouthful of pancake.

"Slow down Jounochi, the food isn't going to run away."

Jounochi swallowed and waved a hand. "No time. Going. Meet. Others. Park."

Yugi nodded, "Grandpa gave me the weekend off to practice for the tournament."

Jounochi finished his meal, and smiling, grabbed Yugi's shoulder before dashing off, Yugi in tow. "We'd better hurry."

When they got to the park, they saw that Honda had not arrived yet. They also saw that Anzu was talking to a tall, blonde attractive young woman.

Well, Anzu was talking, the woman was yelling.

"Calm down Mai, we just went out for coffee." Anzu was saying.

"Yes, but come on, Weevil Underwood! That twerp! He's almost as bad as Rex Raptor!"

"Well, actually…"

Mai interrupted, enraged, "WHAT?"

"A romantic dinner."

Mai smirked, calming down. "What was it, stake for two?"

Anzu shook her head. "Mai, you know I'm vegetarian. We had lobster."

"Yeah right, next thing you'll say Maco Tsunami took you fishing!"

Anzu blushed. Mai exploded. "That's IT! Come Sunday, I am going to beat those three to a PULP, and I don't mean just Duel Monsters!"

_Hmm, Rex Raptor, Weevil Underwood and Maco Tsunami are all here for the Sunday tournament. Maybe they heard Kaiba was going to duel. He doesn't make many appearances. _Yugi suddenly felt nervous. _This tournament is going to be tough._

Just then, Anzu noticed Yugi. She waved. "Hi Yugi! Hi Jounochi! Hi Honda!" Yugi turned to see that Honda had arrived while Anzu and Mai had been talking.

Mai's eyes bore into the three boys. "Who are they?"

Anzu smiled. "Mai, these are my friends from school. Yugi, Jounochi, Honda, this is Mai. She's going to compete in the tournament too."

Yugi smiled. "Hello Mai, would you like to duel? I need the practice."

Mai, "You don't look like much of a duellist to me."

Anzu turned puppy dog eyes to Mai. "Please Mai, for me?"

"Oh all right, just this once."

* * *

Seto Kaiba awoke with a shock. Literally. 

_Damn, the dew must've seeped through._

He was referring to the duel disk on his hand, which he had been testing on the roof of the Kaiba Corp. skyscraper and which had just electrocuted him. His eyes focused on his watch.

_It's ten now. Eight hours' sleep, not bad. Mental note, make duel disk waterproof._

Seto slowly got up and went down the stairs to his office. It consisted of a workroom, a tiny kitchen, a bathroom with a walk in wardrobe, a large office complete with lounge, movie collection and TV with cable (At Mokuba's insistence) and a primary control room, identical to the one in his lair at home.

Passing nobody on his way, he smiled. He had commandeered the entire top floor for his office, the only way up here was by private elevator that responded to state of the art retinal, DNA, fingerprint and special card scans. The only other person allowed here without an appointment was Mokuba. His secretary had her own office on the first floor, in front of the afore mentioned elevator.

Seto put down the duelling disk in his work room, adding a few notes to the computers as he went. Older prototypes of the duelling disk took up a corner of the room, as Seto wanted his work to remain secret. He saved the work and went to the control room.

There, Seto backed up his work through the satellite connection to the computer at his house. It took him half an hour to do his homework.

The theme from Pokemon found Seto in the kitchen littered with boxes of Chinese takeout.

"Kaiba here."

"Big brother!" Mokuba's overjoyed voice exclaimed. "I was worried. You didn't come home last night."

"I was working."

"You sound tired. Did you fall asleep on the roof again?"

Kaiba groaned. "Something on your mind Mokuba?"

"I just wanted to remind you about the soccer match. It's at three."

"I may be late."

"No Seto, you promised you'd be there on time."

Seto shrugged. "Then I will."

"OkSetoI'mgoingoutonadatebye!"

Seto snapped his phone shut. _Wait. Did he say on a date!_

He shook his head. His brother was growing up quickly.

Seto took some Chinese food from the fridge. He had two and a half hours before Pegasus arrived.

_Plenty of time to eat, shower, change and get the necessary paperwork to the conference room._

* * *

Ryou Bakura opened his sleepy eyes. It was still dark. He sighed in frustration and turned over. 

Sleep, however, once lost could not be regained. Slowly, but surely, as Ryou tossed and turned, the room got lighter.

Ryou go up and grumpily padded over to the en-suite bathroom. His soft white hair was dishevelled, as were his green silk pyjamas.

_I am having sugar withdrawal and I'm freezing._

He looked into the mirror to asses the night's damage. Ryou grimaced. _I shouldn't have done that._

He brushed his teeth, sprayed on deodorant and brushed his hair. Slightly more presentable, he walked through his bedroom and the lounge room to the balcony lit by the first of the sun's rays.

_Ah, Saturday, and not a cloud in the sky. I can do what I want, when I want. _Ryou smiled wryly._ Pity there's nothing to do…_

… Bakura smirked.

_I can think of a couple of things._

As his first act of the day, he turned up the central heating.

Bakura walked into the bathroom and took a shower, tossing his pyjamas onto the bed as he went.

Washed, he proceeded to put the pyjamas neatly onto the pile behind the couch, adding Ryou's clothes from near the answering machine as well. All the while, smiling at Ryou's effort at neatness.

He turned on the stereo and hummed along to Afro man's 'Because I got high' as he tidied the apartment, lost in pleasant memories.

"…

I was gonna go to class, before I got high,

I could'a cheated and I could'a passed, but I got high,

I'm takin' it next semester, and I know why,

Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high,

…"

When he was satisfied, Bakura chucked the towel onto the laundry and went over to Ryou's wardrobe.

He pulled out a pair of snug jeans, and a white shirt. Bakura made himself a cup of coffee, turned off the stereo and picked up the phone. Marik's number was on speed dial 1.

_Ryou has his uses. _

Bakura smirked, as he thought back to the latest fridge note now gracing the trashcan. Amidst the threats, it told Ryou in no uncertain terms that he was to program the phone to Marik's number.

_I really should learn how to do that. _Bakura frowned.

The tone dial rand, then a sleepy voice answered, cursing freely.

"… and throw you into the Nile to play with the crocodiles!" it concluded.

Bakura smiled. "Good morning, sunshine." He said maliciously.

"For Ra's sake, thief, do you know what time it is?" Marik sounded exasperated.

"The sun is up." Commented Bakura.

"Well I'm not." Retorted Marik "And I don't intend to be until the sun is at its zenith. Then, I intend to have a long shower. After and only after will I be able to think straight."

Bakura chuckled. "Not used to working hours yet eh? Now you see my need for coffee. Well, I won't keep you from your dreams long. I just called to give you my address and ask when you can pop over." Feeling that he just assumed too much, Bakura added. "If you're not too busy." This was said lightly, but Bakura's stomach contracted nervously.

"No not too busy." Marik yawned. "Let me just find a pen."

Addresses were exchanged; Bakura gave his number as well, and asked about Marik's mode of transport.

"I have a motorbike. So it shouldn't take long to get there. Let's see, allowing for a shower, I can be over at two. And I'll bring that card."

"And I have some clothes for you. I went shopping yesterday…" Here, he was eagerly interrupted.

"So that's what all the shopping bags were for."

Bakura smirked. Marik hasn't changed at all. "Yeah." He said lightly. "I have a surplus of money at the moment."

"I'll pay you back." Marik promised, and hung up.

Bakura was smiling as he put the phone down. He had some spare time; it was still early.

He walked over to lie on the couch, sipping his coffee. Bakura proceeded to pick up the discarded book on ancient Egypt, and started pursuing it avidly.

* * *

Marik Ishtar put the phone down, smirking. _I didn't say how I was going to pay you back Bakura. _

With that, he turned over on his bed and enveloped himself in the warmth of the covers once more – he had cooled considerably while he was talking on the phone.

The necessity of sleeping in late was offset by the practicality of said action in Marik's mind. At least, until the only clothes he owned dried after last night's general wash.

Marik had taken to sleeping – an activity he usually left to Malik - ever since he started working at the arcade as he judged it prudent that Malik should not be exposed to some of the dreams he had been having.

Marik chuckled evilly. _The boy would probably take them to be nightmares._

With that, he shut his eyes to the darkness in his room and sleepily turned his thoughts once more to his dreams.

_Yes, I am definitely going to need that shower._ He thought before drifting off.

* * *

Yugi smiled. Mai's life points hit zero. The duel was over. 

"I underestimated you Yugi. You're good, and I know what I'm talking about."

Yugi smiled. "Thankyou Mai, you were pretty tough yourself."

Jounochi grinned, slapping Yugi on the back. "Of course he's good. Our Yugi breathes Duel Monsters."

"So Yugi," said Mai, ignoring Jounochi, "Where did you learn how to play?"

"My grandpa owns a games shop, he was a master duellist, and he taught me." Just then Yugi's stomach growled.

Anzu looked concerned. "Didn't you eat breakfast Yugi?"

"Well," Yugi blushed. "I had a piece of toast."

Mai looked surprised. "No wonder you're hungry."

Anzu was frowning. "Jounochi?" Jounochi was hiding behind Honda. Looking at Mai, Anzu clarified. "Jounochi has a habit of eating breakfast at Yugi's."

"Most of the time he just eats Yugi's breakfast." Honda added.

Yugi's mind drifted away as Anzu started shouting at Jounochi who cowered behind Honda. Mai was watching with interest. _I wonder who else is going to be at the tournament. _"Mai, do you know if any other high ranking duellists will be participating?"

She shrugged, thoughtful. "I know Kaiba's gonna be there. That's really why everyone's coming. Um, I suppose Bandit Keith'll show up. He really needs the points, if he plans to continue duelling."

"Why did Pegasus do it, do you think?" Yugi asked while watching his fiends.

"Have you ever met Pegasus? I'd say he did it for fun." Mai smiled. "Do you know, I'm hungry." She raised her voice to be heard above Anzu. "Hey Anzu, you hungry?"

Anzu stopped shouting and smiled at Mai. "Sure, I haven't eaten anything since that fishing trip with Maco." Seeing Mai frown, she laughed. "Don't beat him too badly Mai." Then she added teasingly. "You know, you shouldn't frown so much Mai. You'll get wrinkles."

And the group moved on from the park, Honda and Jounochi arguing about who can eat the most burgers in the shortest amount of time, Mai and Anzu deep in discussion about the latest wrinkle creams. Yugi followed, oblivious to his growling stomach.

_Hmm, to defend from a Blue Eyes. Kareebo and Multiply perhaps?_

* * *

Seto sat in the conference room, tapping his fingers on the wooden table. He looked at his watch. Pegasus was ten minutes late. Seto stood to leave. 

Just then, the door opened with a resounding "Kaiba boy!"

Seto shivered. Facing him was Maxemillion Pegasus as always impeccable. "You're late." Seto pointed out, gesturing for the guests to sit while attentively studying the boy who walked in behind Pegasus. This must be Otogi. The boy had black hair, tied back with a headband, and looked reasonably at ease. But then, Seto judged, this boy was born looking at ease.

"I would have been here earlier, but arriving on time is arriving so unfashionably early. Oh, and this is Otogi, the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters." Pegasus said lightly as he was sitting.

Seto turned to Pegasus after appraising Otogi. "Remind me why you came to me."

"Otogi has created the software; Kaiba Corp. has the required hardware. Added to this your marketing expertise and famous name make you the obvious choice." Pegasus gestured magnanimously for Otogi to continue.

"The adjustments to fit the hardware should be no problem." Otogi said lightly.

Seto nodded. "I assume you brought the game." When Otogi nodded Seto stood. "Lab three is ready for testing."

The three left the conference room at roughly ten past one. They returned at two.

Pegasus was beaming. "Now for the paperwork, eh?"

Seto nodded, sliding some paperwork over to Otogi. "The game will be field tested first. Kaiba Corp. will fund your purchase of the arcade. After you make enough revenue to pay back the loan, Kaiba Corp. will automatically have a contract with you. Should you fail within a year, that contract is void."

While Otogi, was filling out the paperwork, Pegasus turned to Kaiba. "So I hear you condescended to play in the local park tournament. Are you really that bored?"

Seto smirked. Pegasus noted this and nodded sagely. "I see."

They watched in silence as Otogi finished the paperwork.

When it was done, the necessary suits filed it away, leaving a copy with Otogi.

Pegasus turned to Seto again. "There are still a couple of things we need to discuss." Seto looked at his watch. It was two thirty.

"It can wait."

"What's the hurry Kaiba boy?" Pegasus asked, interested.

"Mokuba's soccer match."

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Pegasus. "I love soccer. We can take my helicopter, and iron out the small details tonight."

Pressed for time, Seto nodded and led the way to the guest helicopter pad. _This is a promise I am going to keep._

At half time, Seto could be seen standing on the sidelines, shouting at Pegasus. "That is NOT what I call a small detail!"

A worried Mokuba walked over to Seto. "What's wrong Seto?"

Pegasus smiled. "Ah, you must be Mokuba. I am Maxemillion Pegasus, and this is Otogi. He'll be living with you for a while."

Seto stared at Pegasus coldly. "That was not part of our agreement."

Pegasus waved the comment away. "Come now, Kaiba boy, Otogi has nowhere else to go. He has to be here to run the arcade; as he is still going to school he therefore needs a permanent residence."

Seto shook his head. "That is not my problem."

As the silence descended between them, they noticed that Otogi was talking to Mokuba.

"…and her name is Rebecca."

Otogi was nodding. "You could give her flowers. Or chocolate; they always like chocolate."

Mokuba noticed that Seto was watching him, and blushed. Pegasus came to the rescue. "Look, they're getting along so well."

"Can Otogi stay with us big brother, please?" Mokuba turned his big blue eyes to Seto. "There's plenty of room, and you're always at work so you won't even notice the difference."

Seto looked at his brother, then at Otogi. He nodded.

Suddenly, the whistle blew for the second half of the game. Mokuba ran off onto the field shouting. "Thankyou Seto!"

Seto sighed inwardly as he watched his brother play._ I am going to regret this._

* * *

Bakura heard a knock on the door, his red eyes glimmering in anticipation. He had closed all the curtains, throwing the flat into darkness, then turned on the lights to give the illusion of evening. 

_I hope for their sake, it isn't a salesman._

He surveyed himself in a full-length mirror in Ryou's bedroom, and then went to answer the door, satisfied.

Marik was dressed in a cotton sleeveless top and jeans. He wore golden earrings, a gold choker and gold bracelets. Bakura stepped aside to let him walk through, smirking.

"I had forgotten how much you like gold."

Marik laughed, sounding a little unbalanced, as always. "I seem to recall, you had a fondness for it during World War One. If my memory serves me correctly, you tried to rob me."

"Oh come on," Bakura waved the accusation away; "I thought you were dead. You were lying on a battlefield you know."

Marik smirked. "Ever the thief, eh Bakura?"

"Touché Marik. What about that card?"

"Here." Marik smiled, taking a Duel Monsters card out of his back pocket. "I thought this'd go well with your deck."

Bakura examined the Black Hole card. "What does it do?"

"Discards all monsters from a field." Seeing Bakura's grin, Marik added. "I knew you'd like it."

Bakura took the card and went to slot it into his deck, on the table in the bedroom. Marik's voice echoed from the lounge.

"Are these the clothes? The ones in the bags?"

"Yeah." Bakura yelled back. "There's wine in the cupboard." He added as an afterthought.

Bakura sorted through his deck, satisfied with the new addition. He took a post-it from the top drawer, and quickly jotted down a note for Ryou. On his way out, he chucked maliciously, his heart rate increasing. _If everything goes well, Ryou is going to get a surprise in the morning._

He gracefully stalked out of the room, to find Marik lying on the couch, sipping wine from a glass, another left full for Bakura. Marik was reading the book on Ancient Egypt, chuckling occasionally.

Bakura stalked closer, and smirking, knelt beside the absorbed Marik. "I see you approve of my tastes." He whispered into Marik's ear, feeling the other boy shiver.

Bakura then took up his wine glass and walked over to put the post-it on the fridge.

* * *

Marik put the book down on the table gently. He then put down the wine, and watched Bakura walk over to put a note on the fridge. _That one still has the grace of a cat. _He thought with admiration. _I can't dally here however. Malik's work leaves little time to attend to…other matters. _

Marik sat up. Bakura walked back to the couch, sipping his wine. When he got there, he carefully placed his wine on the table, and leaned over Marik. _I really do have to go. _The thought sounded more like an excuse than a solid reason.

His heart beat faster as Bakura leaned in for a soft kiss. Marik laughed into Bakura's mouth as the kiss deepened. _Oh well, later it is. _He felt high, and a sip of wine could not be held accountable for this.

Bakura smelt of chocolate, his hair was as soft as feathers. As Marik lay back on the couch he felt Bakura's weight move on top of him, and that was the end of rational thought.

Some time later, Marik opened his eyes. He turned to see Bakura standing at the sink, sipping his wine, watching him. Marik smirked and in fluid movements born of familiarity, moved towards Bakura as the latter put down his wine.

Marik walked until there was a sliver of air between them. As soon as Bakura's eyes flashed with impatience, he remedied the situation.

Later it was the shower, then the bed.

Though the times had changed and the scenery was different, and the air smelled faintly of coffee, not spices, or flowers, or perfume, or a hundred other things. Though the names whispered and screamed had been a hundred different things in a hundred different languages. Though the world kept outside had changed time and time again.

Red eyes still looked into deep blue, blonde hair still merged with white, tanned skin still touched pale. Everything was familiar, everything was all right, and everything was home.


	4. The Tournament

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch4: The Tournament.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Thanks to UnknownDarkMystery for constant encouraging reviews.

**

* * *

The Dream of Malik Ishtar**

It was the initiation to be tomb keeper again. Malik watched his younger self crying on the bed afterwards. He was used to this dream by now, and he knew he could not come over and help.

So he just waited patiently, a sad smile of acceptence of fate on his face, as his older foster brother and sworn protector Rashid walked over to comfort his younger self.

It was then he felt a familiar presence walk up beside him...

..."Bakura." Marik said without turning, "How is it you are here?"

"You are not the only posessor of a Senn Item, besides, I attached my spirit to a piece of the Senn Rod back in the Renaissance. I can visit your soul room, and from there it's only a short walk to your dreams."

Marik smiled, annoyed as Bakura could have watched any of his dreams since the Renaissance. And several of those he could rememeber had been reasonably personal.

"Have you never heard of privacy, Bakura?"

"I have, but I do not believe in the concept. What I want and what I need in order to achive it, is what I believe in. Morals, trust, honour, safety, privacy, justice, concience, truth are illusions."

"I see you did not mention law." Marik said, somewhat placated by the honesty and depth of Bakura's anwsers.

"Ah, but the law is very real. Take it from one who has been on the recieving end many times."

They were now watching as Ishizu came in to offer her support.

"You know, that is the only good thing about being a tomb keeper - free tattoos."

Marik smiled as he considered the initiation in a new light. "I suppose. But the secret of the pharaoh, I mean really. I think I would've preffered The Winged Dragon Of Ra and maybe Obelisk the Tormentor."

"What I want to know is, how in the world is the pharaoh going to learn of this secret. In the past five thousand years the tomb keepers have been waiting and waiting. I mean he must have been reincarnated at lest forty times, and he still hasn't got a tomb keeper's shirt off."

"Well, it's not like he'd have much of a chance, considering how they've removed themselves from society." Marik said venomously, as he still resented Malik's unhappy childhood that he had had to share.

"Yeah, but you can't just build a sign saying 'Tomb Keepers here, Reincarnated Souls Welcome, BYO Senn Item.'"

Marik was sick of this trend to the conversation, so he just shrugged.

Suddenly, Bakura's rational tone became venomous. "I hope he paid for this." He was referring to Malik's father who the dream visions were now discussing.

Marik was warmed by the words and nodded, smiling sweetly. "I'm surprised you haven't met him. He's in the shadow realm."

He could feel Bakura's warm breath on his shoulder as the other leaned foreward to whisper, "Is he now? You must excuse me."

With that, the presence was gone. Marik smiled...

...Malik found himself smiling despite the sad scene in front of him. He had taken a while to calm down after the initiation. Ishizu had gone, and Rashid took off his hood, undoing the bandages.

**The Dream of Malik Ishtar**

* * *

Yugi Moto opened his eyes. He immediately closed them again, however as a wave of nervous nausea washed over him.

_This is it. _He thought. _This is the day that will decide my official ranking. This is the day I have to prove I am a real duellist._

Yugi sat up, determined and ready, only to fall back down as an unbidden thought assailed him. _This is the day I have to duel Seto Kaiba._

"Yugi!" his grandfather called from downstairs.

Yugi shakily got up and started getting dressed. As he walked out of the room, he looked through the deck he had assembled and reassembled the night before.

"Heart of the cards, right." He muttered to himself. However, it did nothing for his nervousness.

Yugi found his grandfather in the shop - he didn't feel like eating breakfast.

"Good morning, Yugi." Said his grandfather cheerfully. "I have something for you."

Yugi managed a weak smile.

With that, the old man with spiky grey hair took five cards from his pocket and laid them face up on the counter.

At the sight of the cards, Yugi was stunned sppechless.

"Do you know what monster is, Yugi?"

Yugi managed a small nod.

"Use it well."

With that, his grandfather put the cards into Yugi's hands and pushed him out of the shop towards the group of friends waiting outside. "Go on now, you don't want to be late."

The stunned Yugi mechanically greeted his friends and started off towards the park, still staring at the monster in his hands.

"Good luck Yugi! Remember the heart of the cards!" Called his grandfather from the doorway of the store before going back inside.

The group walked and chatted but it wasn't long before they noticed Yugi's state.

"What's that you have there, Yugi?" Asked Jounochi. Yugi replied by showing the cards.

"Wow!" Said Honda, who had been looking over Jounochi's shoulder. Jounochi was stunned. "You'd better put those in your deck Yugi."

Yugi nodded and added the cards to his deck. His nervousness had slightly abated mainly due to the cards, but he still did not trust the nervousness not to show in his voice when he spoke. So he remained quiet.

It was Jounochi coming out of his stupor who broke the ensuing silence. "You nervous, Yugi?"

Yugi nodded.

Honda smirked wryly. "We're all nervous. First official tournament, remember? And Seto Kaiba's being there doesn't exactly help."

"And his presence means all the top duellists who can, will be there. It's not only a small tournament anymore." Yugi added looking at his feet. "Where is Anzu?" He asked, suddenly aware of the absence of cheerful encouragement.

"She said she had to go shopping with Mai." Jounochi said.

"Don't they want to get in some practice before the tournament?" Honda asked, surprised. "Mai may be used to all this but it is Anzu's first."

Jounochi shrugged. "Mai said 'it's much better to relax just before a tournament'. She said that 'we did all we could last night and it's too late to change our decks or think up new strategies now.'"

"Maybe she's right. We did prepare a lot." Honda agreed. "Guys, I don't know about you but I haven't had breakfast yet. Let's go grab a bite."

Jounochi grinned. "Sure, I'm starving."

"What about practice?" Asked Yugi, wide eyed.

Jounochi smirked. "Come on, Yugi, with your deck you'll win for sure."

Yugi nodded but he was far from reassured. _To summon Exodia the Forbidden One I have to draw all five cards, and the chances of that are pretty slim. _

His thoughts were filled with visions of white dragons. _Well, let's hope the Kareebo defence holds. The rest is up to the heart of the cards. _

* * *

Seto Kaiba awoke with a start. He quickly and efficiently dressed.

Then he made his way to the dining room. The mansion was quiet.

It was barely dawning outside, bathing the dining room in a dark blue light.

On his way, he picked up the chess set and with quick movements, set up the problem that had haunted his dream. He did not remeber who had set it, nor did he care.

He had the sickening suspicion it was his foster father Gozaburo Kaiba who though dead, was still able to reach Seto in his dreams.

Seto was more concerned however, with how he would check mate in one move.

He sat behind the black pieces and looked at the board. While the sun came up outside, the lighting changed from blue to pink to the white of day, and servants moved silently about him setting up the buffet breakfast, he sat.

Mokuba came down for breakfast, but seeing his brother's preoccupation, quietly took his food and left. Outside the dining room, Seto could hear him talking to Otogi.

"Morning Mokuba!"

"Shh. Otogi, Seto is cocentrating on a chess problem."

"Is he now?"

That's when Otogi appeared in the doorway. Yawning, dressed in a baggy t-shirt and shorts he had presumably slept in, Otogi shuffled past Seto in bedroom slippers, rubbing his eyes.

He glanced at the board as he passed, then shuffled past, attacking the food with vigor once he reached the buffet.

On his way out, with a cup of coffee, he stopped by the board. Gently, Otogi moved Seto's bishop to d6. Then, satisfied, he nodded and left the room, yawning.

Seto didn't move. He stared at the board for a while.

_It was so obvious! Why did I not see it?_

The alarm on his watch went off and he stood up slowly, still looking at the board.

_It's just not my day._ Seto smirked. _But then, it's not supposed to be._

Without a second thought, Seto left for the helicopter that waited to take him to the tournament, sweeping the pieces onto the floor as he turned.

* * *

Ryou Bakura lazily opened his eyes. It was Sunday.

He did not remember what had happened to yesterday, but he awoke happily as rays of light fell onto his bed.

Ryou stretched. He noticed he was sligtly sore in strange places, but that was nothing new.

A short time after he had recieved the Senn Ring from his father, he had woken up sore every day for a week. Since then he had occasionally woken up with bruises and cuts. He had by now learned to easily distinguish the pain of sore muscles from the pain of cuts and bruises. This was the sore muscle kind.

Ryou sat up and noticed that he wasn't wearing anything. He shrugged - he was at home.

The room felt warm, so Ryou concluded that the central heating had been turned on. He stood from his crumpled bed and gathered up the sheets. Sunday was laundry day. Collecting the clothes from the dirty laundry basket, Ryou made his way to the living room and from there, the laundry.

He loaded and turned on the machine, then leaving for his bedroom where he laid out clean sheets. He had found his pyjamas on top of the pile of his clothes and now folded them neatly on the bed.

It was then that Ryou noticed that ever since he had awoken, he had been hearing the running shower.

Curious, he wandered over to the bathroom door. It was unlocked. He pushed the door, and was greeted by a cloud of steam.

Ryou stepped inside, to be greeted with the sight of Malik Ishtar in the shower.

Malik turned around and smiled at the blushing Ryou. Ryou's feet were rooted to the spot and his head was spinning. He ran on autopilot.

"Good moning, Malik." said Ryou politely. _What did I do on Saturday?_

"Morning." Said Malik, his smile beaming. "I'll be out in a minute."

Ryou nodded and closed the door. Looking for guidance, he wandered over to the fridge. Sure enough, there was a note. It said that the clothes in the shopping bags were for Malik. It also told him to wash the sheets. Ryou's blush deepened.

He did not know if this was bad or good, but he was sure that this was weird and insane, and a hundred other things.

Remembering that Malik had said he would be out in a minute, Ryou quickly put on the top most outfit in the pile - loose jeans, and the usual green shirt and white jumper.

* * *

Malik Ishtar stepped out of the bathroom in a towel and deep in thought. Earlier, he had laughed at this new madness, when he awoke naked and sore next to Ryou. He had time in the shower to consider this new development though.

He wasn't sure how he felt about this, but he was sure that how he felt really didn't make any difference to the situation. He had to find out if Ryou was the same as he was - clueless as to the particulars or whether he knew what happened. Somehow, he doubted the latter.

_The last time I had seen Ryou, he was very eager to have nothing to do with me. He and I then, might have the same problem. _

Malik could be wrong, but he didn't think so, further reassured when he found a blushing Ryou making hot chocolate in the kitchen. Ryou did not look like his clothes didn't fit him this time, but he was dressed in a completely different style. Curiosity burned in Malik, curiosity about this polite ghost who's duplicity might hold the key to his own madness.

Ryou turned around when he heard Malik approach. "Do you want a hot chocolate?" He asked politely smiling, his blush was slowly abating. "Or I have coffee if you want."

Malik shrugged. "Chocolate is fine. Listen Ryou, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't remember what happened last night."

His eyes were met by Ryou's emerald searching gaze. Satisfied, he sighed, handing over a cup of steaming chocolate. "I don't remember either Malik."

Encouraged, Malik leaned on the fridge, sipping his chocolate and continued. "I have blank holes in my memory. Times where I don't know what happened. This was only the second time I woke up in the wrong house though."

Ryou smiled. "You're pretty lucky then. I get black holes, but I also appear in places and don't know how I got there quite a bit. Not to mention someone keeps moving my things, leaves me notes on the fridge and spends money that mysteriously appears in my bank account."

Malik laughed. "Whoa. That's quite a lot. I get the moving stuff thing and somebody keeps spending my money. But nobody leaves me notes."

Ryou shrugged, still smiling and drinking hot chocolate. "It can be pretty useful. Like for instance, the clothes in the shopping bags in the living room are for you."

Malik's eyes widened in surprise. He finished off the rest of his drink, put the cup in the sink and went to investigate. His eyes glowed in appreciation as he sorted through the clothes in the bags, which had been placed neatly by the front door. "Thanks, you shouldn't have."

"I didn't." Ryou smiled politely. He then frowned as he looked at some clothes lying by the base of the couch. "Yours?" He asked.

Malik walked over and examined the clothes. He nodded. Ryou went back in the kitchen as Malik quickly put them on. When he returned, Malik was picking up the bags, getting ready to leave.

"Malik," Ryou asked frowning, "When you woke up, you were..."

"In your bed." Malik finished, smiling wryly. In the corridoor, he turned to the politely smiling Ryou. "Bye Ryou, don't forget abou the tournament at the park tonight." As an afterthought he added. "Thanks for the chocolate, I had a really nice time."

Ryou bowed politely. "Goodbye Malik, it has been nice to see you. If I can, I will come to the tournament." Malik closed the door.

As he left the apartment building, he was relieved to see his motorcycle. Only once he had loaded his bags, he realised he did not know how to get to his house from here. He lauged at this. _I suppose it's a nice day for a drive._

He picked out a warm jacket from among his new clothes and put it on before he left, smiling.

* * *

Yugi walked up to the partitioned off area of the park with his friends. Autumn was in the cool air and the golden, orange and red leaves that covered the trees, in places falling to the ground.

This area of the park - including the bridge over the river and several small tiled areas - had been partitioned off for the tournament with a small white iron fence. A guard stood at the gate, checking all who entered were duellists. It was still early, but the reporters were already standing around, catching a few top duellists before they entered.

They were admitted by showing their decks and being searched for recording equipment. Only one camera crew had been allowed in, with one reporter, who were managed by suits from Kaiba Corp. to make sure they did not interfere with the duels.

The tournament was going to be played by points, but because so many people were coming, the first round was an elimination. Whoever made it through that, would play to the end, winner playing winner and loser playing loser. The final pair would be those two who had the most points after the tenth round.

Yugi spotted Mai and Anzu, sitting under a tree, chatting with Malik. As they approached, they heard scraps of the conversation.

Malik was speaking "...Ra knows why he's acting this way. I was the one invite him."

Mai nodded. "He certainly doesn't act like he appreciates the favor."

"He isn't himself." Anzu replied. "He's probably just really nervous."

Mai smiled at Anzu. "I suppose he could be, Anzu."

Just then, they noticed Yugi, Jounochi and Honda.

Anzu smiled. "Hi guys!"

"You sit here, I'll go ask who we're duelling in the first round." Honda said, walking off.

Jounochi and Yugi sat.

Mai turned to Malik. "But he doesn't seem nervous."

"No he doesn't." Malik agreed.

"Who?" Asked Jounochi.

"Ryou Bakura." Clarified Anzu, nodding her head to where Bakura was standing, smirking to himself as he watched the duellists come in.

"It could be just an act." Said Mai. "If you watch closely, he shifts uncomfortably from time to time."

Malik shook his head. "I don't think so. His hands are calm, as are his eyes. If you look at the way he stands, you'll see it is his clothes that are uncomfortable."

"What about him?" Asked Jounochi.

"Malik invited him to duel here and he's acting like he's a complete stranger." Anzu said.

Mai smiled. "I'd be uncomfortable too if I wore that in public."

Malik lauged. "So would I."

"So?" Jounochi was still confused. Yugi smiled as Anzu rolled her eyes.

"It is rude." Yugi pointed out kindly. "Ryou Bakura is never rude."

Bakura, who was close enough to hear the conversation, looked over to the laughing Malik and glared, before walking off.

Malik and Mai sobered up as they watched him leave. "He is definitely not the Ryou Bakura Anzu described." Said Mai.

"Oh." Said Jounochi.

Yugi smiled and they turned to the approaching Honda.

Malik was frowning at his hands. "Did you see what colour his eyes were, Mai?"

"No, why..." But Mai was interrupted by Anzu's cry.

"What's wrong Honda!"

Honda's pale face turned to Yugi. "Anzu, Malik and I are duelling some kids from school. Jounochi, you're up against Rex Raptor. Mai, you are facing Maco Tsunami." Honda's brown eyes fixed on Yugi's violet ones worriedly. "Yugi, you're duelling Seto Kaiba."

There was a pause. Yugi wasn't sure he heard correctly. Honda repeated himself. Yugi swallowed, his friends all had their eyes on him. He suddenly didn't want to duel. It was then, he felt his Senn Puzzle heat up...

Instantly, Yugi zoomed out of himself. He felt like a wiser and stronger Yugi sat talking to his friends, while he looked on. The other Yugi spoke.

...Yami no Yugi smiled at his friends. "We'd better go, they'll be starting soon. Jounochi, good luck with Rex Raptor, don't get too overconfident. Mai, good luck against Maco Tsunami."

Mai shrugged, the least affected out of all of them, at the proclamation of the duelling opposition. "I'll beat him Yugi, you just worry about Seto Kaiba.

Yami nodded seriously. "If there is a way to beat him I will find it."

Everybody stood, wishing each other good luck, everyone with worry in their eyes about their matches, everyone sounding confident and joking.

Honda gave out directions and the group split up to go to the various duelling points. They promised to meet up at the bridge before the final round.

Yugi watched himself walk off to the area where he would duel his first official duel against the number one duellist in the world, Seto Kaiba.

* * *

Seto looked on and his disappointment in the ease of the game changed to disbelieving horror as Yugi laid out the five pieces of Exodia. The monster appeared on the Kareebo littered field and in one fell blow destoryed Seto's three Blue Eyes, bringing his lifepoints to zero.

A hush fell over the watching crowd. Seto's face was as always impassive, and the satisfaction of a plan accomplished was not as sweet as he had expected.

"The winner is, Yugi Moto." Said the referee. All eyes were on Seto as he stood, picking up his deck.

"That was a great duel, Kaiba." Said the beaming but tired looking Yugi, offering his hand.

"You won't be so lucky next time." Seto replied, as he turned to leave, watching Yugi out of the corner of his eye.

With that, Seto walked out of the partitioned off area of the park, a suit clearing his path through the mob of reporters waiting outside. He got into the waiting limo.

A tear-stained Mokuba faced him from the opposite couch. "Seto." There was worry in his voice.

Seto noticed the built in TV was on, muted, showing a replay of his loss. He turned it off, his brother making no protest.

Seto stared out of the window as the scenery started to move.

"Where to sir?" Asked the driver, opening the partition.

"Drop me off at the office." Said Seto, his voice betraying nothing of the turmoil withtin.

_This is what I wanted. Now I can once again start building up my deck and my rating._

_Then why do I have to repeat it to myself?_

Seto steadied himself.

_Let's do this logically. I lost. He had The Unbeatable Exodia, there was no way I could win, since I didn't know he had it. I was unprepared, but there was no way I could prepare, this was his first official duel._

Seto smirked at his reflection.

_Beginner's luck._ He concluded.

* * *

Bakura had been going very well in the duels. In fact, he was winning every single one. Perhaps it was the use of the Senn Ring, or the his vicious smile as he pulled off a plan that had not even once left his face, but he was undefeated after the eighth round.

It was then that he noticed that he was being watched. Well, that was no surprise, the speed and viciousness of his duels had managed to attract a crowd of observers. But something here wasn't right.

Bakura then realized he was too open, there was a golden Senn Item flashing around his neck, and he was wasting his time playing in a stupid tournament only because Ryou had promised to come and there was nothing better to do.

He cursed in french. Cursing sounded so much better in french.

He had let Ryou watch the duels, so the boy could learn something of the game, so Bakura did not have to watch him as closely as he did now.

Bakura trusted his instincts, they had saved his skin more times than he could count. _I'll let Ryou play the last round himself..._

...The zoomed out sensation wore off, as Ryou sat to face his last opponent for the day - Malik Ishtar.

Ryou smiled politely. "Hello Malik. How are you going?"

Malik glanced into his eyes and smiled. "Hi Ryou, well I've only lost once but with the way that Yugi is going, I won't make it to the finals."

Ryou was surprised. "You lost? To who?" Then realising how complementary and familiar the comment was, he blushed.

Malik laughed. "Thanks. I lost to Yugi if you can believe it."

Ryou noticed the hidden disappointment in his voice. Then a thought hit him, putting everything else out of his head. "Yugi Moto? But he duelled Seto Kaiba in the first round!"

Malik nodded, smiling. "He beat Seto Kaiba and everybody else he has come up against as it happens." Ryou frowned, and Malik clarified. "He must have Ra watching over him. Yugi keeps playing Exodia."

They took each other's decks, shuffled and returned them without thinking.

Ryou raised his eyebrows in surprise, but was recalled to the present by the Referee's "Ready? Let the official duel between Malik Ishtar and Ryou Bakura begin!"

"After you, Malik," Said Ryou politely.

The duel was long but Malik was clearly the better and more experienced player. Several times, he had to explain the properties of his cards, and once he kindly pointed out that Ryou forgot to put his monster in defence mode, before it became a problem.

But Ryou played extremely well, and Malik won by a slim margin of 200 life points.

They stood, and shook hands, pocketing their decks. The last rays of the sun played on the horizon.

"You going home now, Ryou?" Asked Malik as they walked away from the playing tables in the intermission before the finals.

"Yes, there is no reason for me to stay." Said Ryou, for some reason, his heart beating faster. "What about you?"

"I have to meet up with Yugi and the gang. Hopefully some of them made it to the finals. At worst, we'll just be cheering for Yugi." Malik smiled, as they had reached the gate of the partition. "Allright, well, I'll see you at school then."

"Good bye Malik," Ryou said politely.

Ryou made his way out of the park, smiling sadly at his feeling of rejection as Malik walked off to the bridge.

_Of course, he has been here a week and already has many friends. Why should he want to bother about me? _He thought bitterly.

Ryou walked through the darkening empty streets on his way home. He took the shortest route possible through the eerie streets, a feeling growing on him of being watched.

Sure enough, he turned a corner, to come face to face with some men in dark robes. "Ryou Bakura." The tallest one said. "I am a Rare Hunter, and I want your Black Hole card."

Ryou looked at the men, frozen to the spot in fear, as several more approached from behind, cutting off his only exit. The familiar cold shiver ran down his spine, making him able to move again.

"Excuse me, but I am afraid I am not willing to trade it away." He said politely, his hand holding on to his deck tightly as it lay in his pocket.

"Not as afraid as you are going to be." The Rare Hunter said, as the cloaked men closed in on him...

... Bakura smirked at his opposition, pulling out the Balck Hole card. "If you want it so much, here it is."

With that, the Senn Ring around his neck sparkled, the card glowed and a gale started in the small alley. "Black Hole clears all monsters from a field and sends them to the graveyard." He said smiling. "That is where you are going."

A gaping black hole materialised and sucked the Rare Hunters in, the wind sending Bakura flying into the wall...

... The alley was quiet, and Ryou sat up from where he was lying by the wall. He felt a strong hand steady him.

"Are you allright?" Asked a concerned voice.

Ryou looked up into the blue eyes of Bandit Keith. He blushed and nodded. "Thankyou. I owe you my life. If you had not chased away those thugs..." He left the alternative hanging.

Bandit Keith smiled. "No problem. I was watching you duel by the way, you were brilliant. I saw those thugs following you out, so I followed them, and the rest as they say is history." He helped Ryou stand up.

"What about the tournament?" Asked Ryou, his heart quickening.

"Forget the tournament kid." Said Keith, waving it away. "There's more to life than Duel Monsters."

The reply warmed Ryou and he smiled. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, I am Ryou Bakura, call me Ryou."

Keith smiled back. "The name's Bandit Keith. Well, it's not but that's what everybody calls me. I'd like you to call me Keith, Ryou. Do you mind if I walk you home? It's not safe out here this late."

Ryou shook his head, and started walking. "So where abouts are you staying?" Asked Ryou, surprised when Bandit Keith blushed. "I did not mean to pry." He said quickly.

"It's fine," Keith put one hand behind his head. "Actually I haven't got anywhere to stay. I figured I'd come for the tournament, and planned to stay a week, but the hotel's lost my reservation."

"You can stay with me." Offered Ryou, waving away the protests Keith was trying to make. "It is no trouble, really. I have a two bedroom apartment - my father is out on a dig in Egypt. And besides, I am in your debt."

Bandit Keith nodded. "Thanks."

* * *

Malik arrived on the bridge to see Yugi was already there, talking to Weevil Underwood. He felt bad about not going with Ryou or asking him to come, but he was still slightly embarassed about this morning.

_Who are you trying to fool? _He asked himself. _You are just angry at his behaviour before._

Malik shivered, but all his thoughts of red eyes vanished as Weevil threw the cards he had been holding, over the bridge. He ran off as Yugi watched the rushing river, surprise and sorrow clearly painted on his face.

"You should really take better care of your monsters, Yugi!" Were Weevil's parting words.

Malik instantly knew what happened...

... Marik chuckled to himself.

_This is perfect._

He turned on his heel and walked behind a big tree. Here he could stand in the shadows, unobserved.

He smiled. The Senn Rod appeared in his hand.

"Get that Exodia for me, all of it." He ordered the nearest Rare Hunter. He paused. Then turning his mind to the others, added, "While you're at it, ambush some players on their way home."

The Senn Rod disappeared and the mind link was broken as the staple reply of 'Yes master Marik.' Echoed through his mind.

Marik stepped back around the tree and went to join Yugi just as the others were walking up...

... "You should have seen me Yugi!" Jounochi was saying, a big grin playing on his face. "That dinosaur kid didn't know what hit 'im when I took his Red Eyes Black Dragon. That'll teach him to laugh at master duellists like myself."

"Don't brag, Jounochi." Said Mai, pouting.

Anzu patted Mai's arm. "There's always next time, Mai."

Yugi looked up from the river, concerned. "Did you lose a duel, Mai?"

Jounochi shook his head. "Nah, I just beat Rex Raptor first."

Yugi sweat dropped. Jounochi hid behind Honda as Mai turned on him.

Honda intervened. "It was just pure dumb luck. If Yugi hadn't given you the Time Wizard this morning, you'd have lost for sure. And you'll need more than luck to win the final round."

Malik smiled. "Especially if you're playing Yugi."

Yugi smiled at Malik sadly. "Without Exodia I know I would not be as far as I am now. You have a very strong deck."

Malik laughed madly as Yugi's statement struck a painful chord. His thoughts leapt to the constant additions of powerful cards to his deck that he didn't make. From there his mind leapt to the gaps in his memeory and from there to red eyes.

The others looked at him stangely, but Jounochi was struck by Yugi's words.

"What do you mean, Yugi? You still have Exodia, so why worry, right? Yugi?"

Yugi shook his head and quietly told what happened.

His friends were outraged. Honda had to hold Jounochi to keep him from jumping in after the cards. Anzu was just shoked.

Mai smiled at her. "That's Weevil allright."


	5. Calm Before the Storm

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch5: Calm Before the Storm.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

* * *

F L A S H B A C K 

Several weeks ago, Sunday night

Ryou Bakura's apartment.

Bakura stared at the fish swimming in his TV.

It was so late that you could say it was really early.

He looked at the table in front of him, which was littered with empty bottles. Bakura frowned. He could have sworn they were full five minutes ago.

There was country music playing in the background. If Bakura was sober, he would have muted the TV, but he wasn't and so was past the point of caring.

Through the haze, he studied the Duel Monsters Deck in his hands. Bakura knew he had been celebrating... something. He smirked.

_What was it? I can't remember._

Bakura shrugged. There was an uncomfortable itch in his chest. He knew it plagued Ryou and that the boy called it loneliness. But this was the first time it had ever bothered Bakura.

As much as he loathed to admit it, even in the relative privacy of his own mind, Bakura knew he missed Marik. He sighed. It was a weakness and even if he could afford it, he would still strive to overcome it.

_But that's the whole point. I can't afford distractions now. Ah, so that's what I was celebrating - a lead on the location of the Senn Scale and Tauk. _

Bakura drained the dregs of the last vodka bottle, smiling. The job was far from finished, and this Shadi who kept the items was by all accounts pretty sharp. But it was progress, after years of nothing this was worth a night of heavy drinking.

_And once I have the seven Senn Items, I can take what I want, play the games I love and never lose. I can gamble on any stakes I wish, pull off any coup I want. _

_I will be all powerful, unstoppable._

_Safe. _

Bakura frowned at the cards in his hands. Then he laid them out in a reading. It could never hurt to know the future.

You will be betrayed by someone you trust. This will force you on a long journey that will ultimately reshape your life. After, there is a chance you will be involved in a felony.

Bakura swore. This was bad. Except for the felony.

F L A S H B A C K

* * *

Yugi Moto stared at the ceiling of his room as he lay in bed. He was grinning. He couldn't stop himself. 

Even the loss of Exodia didn't bother him much. Well, he couldn't do anything about it and his grandfather hadn't been upset, preferring to see it as fate. He was sure and so was Yugi that he could beat Weevil next time they duelled without the help of Exodia.

Yugi thought back to the finals of the tournament. Him versus Jounochi, and Yugi had come out on top. No matter how much he liked his friend, first place was infinitely better than second.

He wondered why he had felt that someone had been playing for him. Yugi shrugged. _Just nerves I guess. _

It was Friday. Yugi had recieved special attention all week at school. Everybody knew he was the kid that beat Seto Kaiba.

Yugi frowned. Kaiba hadn't been at school all week._ I hope nothing is wrong._

But all thought flew out of his head the instant he glanced down at his clock. Yugi was late! In his daydream, he hadn't heard the alarm go off.

_Well, I'll have to do without a shower today. _He thought as he leaped out of bed and began dressing.

* * *

Seto Kaiba sat in front of the computer in his work room. He was running a few last minute simulations. 

The programming seems sound, but you never know.

He hadn't left his office since the duel with Yugi Moto. The loss still stung, but only when he thought about it, and engrossed as he was with his duelling disk, there really wasn't room to think about anything else.

_There. No more Kareebo. _Seto thought gleefully.

He allowed himself a satisfied smirk, and a minute of respite before he would go and test the new prototype.

_Mokuba is probably worried_. Seto thought as he considered how little he had seen of anybody. He checked his mobile for the day. _Friday already! _

Automatically, he dialed Mokuba's mobile.

"Uh, hello?" Came the sound of a sleepy Mokuba, after several rings.

"Mokuba." Said Seto.

"Big brother, is that you!" Mokuba sounded overjoyed.

"Yes" Seto couldn't help smiling.

"You haven't been home all week, I was beginning to get worried. Where have you been?"

"Working."

"I don't want to interrupt if you're buisy Seto, it's just that Otogi has to start school some time and we thought he'd go next week, but he needs someone to show him around."

Seto groaned inwardly. "I'll pick him up on Monday." He decided.

"Oh!" Mokuba exclaimed. "ThanksforwakingmeupI'mlateforschoolbyeSeto!" He blurted out and then pausing for a breath, added, "SeeyouMondaybigbrother!" before hanging up.

Seto replaced the phone and looked at the specs on his computer. His minute was up.

* * *

Ryou Bakura awoke with a pang of nervousness. He quickly rolled over and switched off his alarm clock before it could interrupt the sleep of the man beside him. 

_Is this what love is like then? I mean I wouldn't know, never having been in love myself. Well, I know you are meant to feel nervous, and I do. I suppose that does mean I'm in love._

Ryou mused as he walked silently into the bathroom, automatically locking the door so he could have an uninterrupted shower. He brushed his teeth and hair, then stepped into the stream of hot spray.

_It feels strange that I should love a guy but then again isn't the whole point of love the lack of choice? _Besides it wasn't like he hadn't seen it coming; there had been that incident with Malik.

That reminder still being full of confusing emotions, Ryou shook his head, spraying water droplets onto the fogged up glass and went back to his earlier train of thought. Back to Keith.

_Well, I do have someone to talk to, even if we talk about nothing most of the time. I do get practically no blackouts and am too tired to get nightmares. So what if he gets angry sometimes? Everybody has arguments._

Ryou took stock of the contents of his schoolbag as he dried himself gently. He put on his uniform, careful to cover the multiple bruises and cuts that covered his body.

He checked his face in the mirror and sighed as he saw that all traces of the black eye and cut lip were gone. He didn't have to use his mum's old compact today. Ryou didn't like having to wear concealer - he was raides with all the common values against boys wearing makeup. But it really saved a lot of unnecessary notice and questions.

_He just does not know his own strength. I fell safe with him I guess. Safe from everyone except for him. But that makes sense, doesn't it. The people that love us are the ones that can hurt us the most._

And with that philosophic thought, Ryou grabbed his schoolbag. His deck had locked itself inside a pocket with a combination lock when Bandit Keith first arrived, and since Ryou didn't know the combination, he let it be.

Ryou ate an apple for breakfast as he walked to school - He didn't want to wake Keith who preferred to arise and breakfast in the afternoon. It tended to make Keith a little cranky and Ryou prefferred not wearing makeup and being able to sit down without wincing.

* * *

Marik Ishtar sighed as the Senn Rod vanished. 

He was pleased. Neglecting his operation in the last few weeks had been unavoidable, what with the move in country and then meeting Bakura. But now everything was back on track and running smoothly.

The only minor annoyance were the five Hunters who vanished without a trace, and after an exhaustive search had been found in the Shadow Realm graveyard. A place of no return for anyone that did not posess a Senn Item. They had of course been duly replaced but it was still a pain.

It had been Bakura's handiwork, he was sure. It had his scent. That had necessitated a lecture on going after a certain boy with white hair. Marik hated restating the obvious to those buffoons but it was better than losing agents every week and far better than a vengeful Bakura. Even though he could get out, Marik still didn't enjoy the Shadow Realm.

Marik sat and massaged his temples. The headache was still there, his constant companion for a week now, ever since the tournament. He had an inkling as to it's origin and now that business was over, it could be attended to.

_Bakura. _Marik smirked as his eyes flashed angrily. _Who does that thief think he is, avoiding me for a week?_

But his heart wasn't in it. Marik's sad deep blue eyes surveyed his bed longingly. He had just woken up and really did not relish the idea of school, not that he ever had. _Pointless invention._

_Why is he avoiding me? The Rare Hunters? Of course! _Marik shook his head at his own blindness. The only alternative would be Bakura prefferring the company of Ryou. _Or him wanting to protect Ryou from my Rare Hunters._

He felt a stab of jealousy at the thought of Bakura protecting Ryou, but quickly shook it off as pure nonsense.

_He must be mad at me._ Marik reflected, as his headache lifted, only to be replaced by a harassed guilt. _He thinks I gave him the card, only to try and take it back. But what can be done now to repair matters? Nothing._

_If only I hadn't... Well it was done now. _Marik smiled as he dressed for school. _No apologies and no regrets. I need the Rare Hunters to get the three Egyptian God Cards. Then I will rule the world as the new pharaoh! Then, I can do what I like when I want with nobody to say otherwise! I will be free._

Yes, freedom is worth Bakura a hundred times over.

Marik laughed, his eyes flashing madly. _Funny, I almost believed it that time._

* * *

Yugi sat outside the school with Mai and Anzu, waiting for Jounochi and Honda to get out of detention. 

Malik had gone off early, saying he had lots of stuff to do. What that stuff was, Yugi had not asked, but it sounded pretty urgent.

_I hope it's nothing bad. _Yugi smiled and shook his head. _No use worrying about it now._

Mai was talking to Anzu, and as soon as Yugi tuned into the conversation, he wished he hadn't.

"You're not really missing much there Anzu. He isn't exactly the best kisser, from what I can remember." Mai was stating matter-of-factly.

Anzu shook her head. "That's not all that counts Mai. You shouldn't have scared off Maco."

"I know that's not all that counts Anzu." Mai replied. "But he doesn't have any money either, seriously why go out with a guy if he can't even take you to a decent restaurant?"

Anzu sighed and shook her head.

"I know what i'm talking about, Anzu, listen." Mai pressed. "I've dated plenty of those hard luck stories and believe me, after the novelty wears off, all you have is a bum with a sad story. Really, you can only pity them so much before it gets boring."

Anzu smiled weakly. "You could let me find this out for myself."

Mai looked surprised. "And have you waste your best years on some bum? No way! Youth and beauty aren't forever Anzu. Enjoy them."

Anzu smirked. "And how do you propose I do that? Every guy that comes along, you find some flaw with. At this rate, there'll be nobody I can date."

"What do you expect, Anzu? Men are swine, pure and simple. Oh, there are a few exceptions to be sure, but those are usually already taken by a life's pursuit. Do you want to come second to a pack of cards or a microscope all the time?"

"Of course not Mai!" Anzu excaimed, frustrated. "But what am I supposed to do?"

"Well," Mai said thoughtfully smirking, "There's always girls."

"Mai!" Anzu exclaimed.

"I'm serious Anzu, don't knock it till you've tried it."

At this point, Yugi sweatdropped and was relieved to see Honda and a furious Jounochi approach.

"You were late too, Yugi!" Jounochi exclaimed. "So how come you didn't get detention?"

Yugi smiled pleasantly. "It was my first time, Jounochi. The teacher let me off with a warning."

"Hmph!" Jounochi was indignant.

They were inerrupted by a worried Honda. "Hey, guys let's hurry and get tho the arcade, allright? I don't want to be late for work."

Yugi and Jounochi nodded and started walking off with Honda. After a couple of steps they noticed that Anzu and Mai weren't following. Yugi and Jounochi turned.

"You guys go on," Mai said standing near a blushing Anzu who was looking at the ground. "I'm gonna take Anzu to a restaurant."

"Girls night out?" Asked a confused Jounochi.

"Something like that." Smiled Mai and winked at Yugi. Then she grabbed Anzu's hand and pulled her to the waiting purple car.

Jounochi turned to Yugi, frowning. "What's all that about, Yugi?"

Yugi sweatdropped, and smiling pushed Jounochi after the retreating figure of Honda. "Trust me Jounochi, you don't want to know."

* * *

Seto Kaiba launched the disk again, oblivious to the beautiful sunset that lit the sky. 

_Hmm, the release is still not as smooth as it should be. And the balance is a little off. _

He had tested the disk's gaming and the holograms had been perfect, not a glitch in sight. That had taken most of the day, as every existing monster had to be tested. The cards that Seto didn't have were the biggest hurdle, but Seto had bypassed that by using a microchip.

_I'll have to destroy it._ He reminded himself. _If anyone got a hold of that, they would have a fullproof way to get any monster they wanted to appear. _

_A pity nobody has the brains to think of it. _Seto smirked.

He pulled the disk back and gave a satisfied sigh. Most of the manual work was over. The return was perfect. The release mechanism has to be tweaked a little and the balance changed but that was all.

_Soon, every tournament will be played with these. _Seto though, satisfied as he returned to his office and workroom. It wasn't the money that he would get when Kaiba Corp put this new toy on the market, it was the sheer pleasure of a hard job well done.

But of course he couldn't relax. As soon as it was finished, he had an idea about a virtual reality game involving Duel Monsters that he had been wanting to explore. Seto had a lab organised and the harware ready.

It was just a matter of thinking up the world and multiple quests. That was why he had digressed to the duelling disk. Besides, the Big Five had been on his case about the lack of new Kaiba Corp merchandise on the market.

Seto wasn't about to let them fiddle around with his idea, rush the plot and make a second rate computer game out of it. It would remain a secret until he was sure it was done the way he wanted.

_The duelling disk should make them happy, that'll be enough for now._

* * *

Bakura was watching Malik from the entrance of the arcade, memorising him as he stood there, happy and smiling. A tinge of pain warmed Bakura. Malik looked away from the duelling screen for a second, and stared. Bakura smirked and motioned for Malik to come out and join him... 

...Marik followed Bakura to the fountain. Bakura sat, Marik remained standing, smiling insanely.

Bakura found the silent towering Marik a little bit disconcerting. _What's wrong Marik?_

He kept the frown off his face. "Is there something on your mind Marik?"

_Is it Ryou and Keith? _Bakura smirked and gestured for Marik to sit in front of him.

Marik sat, but with his back to Bakura. "What brings you here thief?" his tone was furiously light.

Bakura put his hand on Marik's shoulder and gently pulled him back. Marik allowed himself to lean against Bakura, rigidly. Bakura snaked his arms around Marik.

"You know better than anyone Ryou Bakura is not my concern unless his life directly affects my own." Bakura whispered. He could feel that Marik was giggling quietly, and drops of moisture hit his arms.

Remembering the reading, Bakura decided to follow his instinct and threw caution to the wind. He rocked Marik in his arms. "IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou..." Bakura chanted into Marik's hair, holding him tightly.

"How long will you love me?" Marik whispered despondently.

"Foreverforeverforeverforever..." Bakura picked up his new chant, but Marik was still rigid in his embrace.

"What about Ryou Bakura?" Asked Marik tentatively.

Bakura's mouth formed a thin line. "What about Malik Ishtar?" He retorted.

The silence lengthened.

"Will you leave me?" resumed Marik quietly.

Bakura cursed himself for being unable to retort with a resounding NO! But readings didn't lie. He settled for the honest truth, no matter how much it cost him to say it.

"Only if I have to." He continued quickly, fearing he would be unable to start again if he stopped. "If anything happens to me, look after Ryou Bakura," adding smugly, "It would not do for me not to have a body to return to."

Before Marik could reply, because Marik would reply, Bakura stood and left.

* * *

Marik smiled and shook his head. He was relieved. Bakura seemed to know about the Rare Hunters indeed, but the incident did not seem to bother him. 

_No, something else was bothering him. _A tinge of worry started Marik's heart beating faster at the thought. _He said he loved me, something must really be wrong._

It reminded him too much of Cyprus and now that he thought about it, India. In Cyprus Bakura had escaped by the skin of his teeth though. Marik didn't want to remember India. Bakura was by far the luckier of the two of them, Marik reasoned and it was unlikely that history would repeat itself.

Marik considered going after Bakura but if the other had wanted the company, he would have stayed. Marik stood lazily, smiling like a cat who had been at the cream.

He was compromised at last, Marik could be sure of Bakura's feelings once more after the gap between lives. This was indeed progress.

But as he returned to his post, worry came over him once more.

Bakura had said he would only leave if he must, and gave directions for when he would do so. This means there is a good chance he will leave, and who knows for how long and how permanently.

What's more, he felt something would happen to him, and Bakura's instincts had always been correct.

_Well, _Marik smirked, _all that could be done was trust the thief's skill and tact. Things that he was by no means lacking. _

_He will return, _Marik reassured himself. His smirk deepened into an insane grin at the pain his next thought brought. _If only in our next lives, I will see you again._

_Please not India._

_I swear to you on the secret of the pharaoh, Bakura, I will keep Ryou Bakura safe until you return, be it only from himself..._

...Malik shook his head, his emotions in turmoil. He thought he had seen Ryou._ I couldn't have, though it pains me to even think it, I screwed up majorly there. _Ryou hadn't ackgnowledged his presence since the tournament.

Malik decided that when he was old and grey he'd laugh at his pride, which it seems, has lost him the only key he had to his madness.

Not just that, Ryou had seemed like the only person who could relate. Malik sighed and went back to work, keeping at bay the feeling that he'd lost half of himself.

_This is my one chance at a life of my own and I make such a mess of it!_


	6. Thunder and Lightning

There's more to life than Duel Monsters.

Ch6: Thunder and Lightning.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

* * *

Keith's POV

Friday Night

Ryou Bakura's Apartment

Well, it wasn't here. _He must be either wearing it or hiding it real well._ Keith smirked as he slammed the last drawer shut. Ransacking the apartment had left it in a mess but it hardly mattered anymore.

Keith walked into the kitchen and opened his bottle of bourbon. He couldn't stay another night in the little twerp's bed anyway. The one thing that cheered him up was the thought that he now knew for sure he wasn't a faggot.

Keith shivered in disgust and remedied it with a long draught of bourbon.

_That shiny necklace had better be worth all this trouble._

He always knew an opportunity when he saw it and at the tournament when the twerp wore the necklace, he won every duel.

Keith had decided that that was exactly the sort of thing he needed to get back into the elite of the duelling world. He'd have to see the extent of its power, but thoughts of crushing Pegasus and becoming the next Seto Kaiba were never far from his mind.

Keith had had no set plan when he followed the twerp from the competition, and he had almost given it up when he saw the creepy cloaked dudes, but then it got real windy and the next thing he knew when he opened his eyes – shut because of the dust flying around, of course, not because he was scared or anything – they were gone.

It all kinda fell into place after the kid thought Keith rescued him.

Keith suspected the necklace.

He hadn't even needed to lie, and once he got the twerp's trust he just had to play to the emotions clearly written all over the twerp's face.

The hardest part had been to be nice when all he wanted to do was beat the necklace's location out of the kid.

He now felt sick at the worm's touch and smell.

It was a pleasant surprise when he'd lost his temper and the kid didn't kick him out. Since then, he'd let it loose whenever he felt like it. It only seemed to make the kid like him more and try to please him.

_The little worm._

Keith took a swig of bourbon. _Well it has been a week and enough is enough._ There were the regionals to consider, besides if he stayed any longer, he though he might really lose it and kill the twerp.

The last thing he needed was a criminal record.

Keith put down the bourbon and growled in disgust – the little worm was really late today. He hoped it had been something important because if not, he didn't have the time to wait upon the twerp's pleasure.

Keith shivered, then smirked. Either way it gave him a stellar excuse and the out he'd been waiting for.

He decided he'd confront the kid, display disbelief and jealousy at his reply, demand the necklace, take it, maybe beat up on the kid for old times sake, then leave him in the dark and cold.

_Hmm, it would be good_ – it was a good plan and he'd enjoy it.

Keith took a swig of bourbon. Right, he'd enjoy it more if he didn't feel sick at the scent of the kid – he used berry scanted shampoos recently, and usually smelt of chocolate.

Keith hummed tunelessly as he turned off the lights and opened all the windows and doors for good ventilation. If he reminded him, the worm would be quiet – he was so pathetically polite. Pity Keith was put off chocolate for life but it would be worth it.

He smirked, still humming a song he'd heard at a club.

"…

Don't ask me why I smoke.

But I drink to get drunk,

Don't ask me why I smoke, I don't know,

But I drink to get drunk,

…"

Keith's POV

* * *

Yugi Moto was watching the store this Saturday. He stood behind the counter in his usual leather, sorting through the newest cards. There was nothing there to catch his interest.

Yugi smiled vaguely at the cards.

_How good would it be to get into the regionals!_

Unfortunately, all he could do was dream about it; his ranking was not nearly high enough to be invited to take part. Beating Seto Kaiba might have boosted his fame to dizzying heights, but the scoring system was arranged so that he needed more than one tournament win to reach the level that distinguished amateur duellists from the professional ones.

It was nice to wish to be in the regionals this year though. Yugi was confident he had a good chance of finishing in the top ten, maybe even as high as first or second place.

The doorbell brought Yugi out of his reverie.

The sun was shining outside, so it was with some surprise that Yugi regarded the little boy, drenched to the bone, dripping puddles as he entered the store, shivering in his t-shirt and cargo pants. It may have been sunny, but it was cool.

The boy seemed familiar to Yugi.

The boy glanced around the store, his eyes focusing on Yugi. The door closed, chiming.

"Are you Yugi Moto?" He asked, pompously.

Yugi, still bemused, nodded.

The tension built as the two continued to look at each other.

"You beat Seto Kaiba?"

Yugi nodded.

"Then I challenge you to a Duel. If you win, you can take my place in the regionals. If I win, I'll be the first to beat the boy who beat Seto Kaiba. Oh, and I'll get Exodia the Forbidden One."

The tension of the silence that followed seeped into Yugi, as he considered his position.

_I could duel, but I cannot lose, I don't have Exodia anymore._

_If I win, I can be in the regionals._

Yugi wasn't sure if he could win, and he didn't want to disappoint the boy by not being able to give him Exodia. His hand went into his pocket, to the deck.

_Heart of the cards, don't fail me now. What should I do?..._

...Yami smirked. "I accept."

The boy sneezed.

It was a bit of an anticlimax, really...

...Yugi smiled. "I'll get you a towel, you should dry off or you'll catch a cold."

The boy returned the smile. "Thanks. I'm Tommy by the way."

A couple of minutes later, the boy was still moist but no longer shivering, drinking hot chocolate in the kitchen, the shop was closed.

Yugi smiled as he sat down, cocking his head to the side.

He was trying to remember.

_Pegasus, something to do with... Oh!_ He was the boy that beat Bandit Keith!

"I remember your TV appearance, Tommy." Said Yugi, smiling.

Tommy smiled back. "Yeah, it kinda launched my career. I don't really like Duel Monsters."

He hung his head, then almost angrily clarifying. "Don't take it the wrong way, I'm good."

He shrugged. "It's just not for me, you know?"

Yugi nodded, although he had never felt anything of the sort. Duel Monsters was his life. "What would you like to be?" Yugi asked, intrigued.

Tommy's eyes lit up. "A marine biologist! On the way here, I saw the perfect specimen of algae in the river, but I overreached myself." He finished, laughing.

Yugi smiled. "Did the algae get away?"

Tommy grinned back. "Yeah, but there's always next time."

"Finished?" Yugi nodded at Tommy's cup.

"Yeah, thanks. So how's about we duel? Here's fine."

Yugi took the cups, rinsed them and put them by the sink, then sat opposite Tommy, taking out his deck...

..."You go first."

Just as they finished shuffling each other's decks, Jounochi burst in through the back door.

"Yugi, I have to talk to you." He said, catching his breath. He was still in school uniform, which was being too forgetful, even for Jounochi.

Yami passed the deck back to Tommy, who passed back Yugi's deck, put his down, and then glanced at Jounochi before taking six cards.

Yami did not even glance, he was too busy looking at the cards and planning strategies.

"Can it wait Jounochi?" He asked, glancing at Tommy, who was even now deep in thought about strategies.

_This is giving him an advantage._

Yugi felt the thought, but it was not his own. He tried to turn his head to the obviously upset Jounochi, but he couldn't move.

"This is important, Yugi." Said the blonde, openly down cast at the cold reception and quizzically raising an eyebrow at Tommy.

"So is this duel." Said Yami coldly, then added kindly. "I am not the only friend you have, Jounochi."

_If this keeps up, he will seriously damage my chances of winning._

"What's up with you, Yugi?" Asked Jounochi, his voice concerned, but the urgency of his communication seemed to outweigh his friend's weirdness.

Jounochi shrugged. "Whatever. Do you know where they are?"

Yami nodded, still looking at the cards. "Anzu and Mai I have no idea about, but Honda said there was a motorcycle show in the city. Malik and he are bound to be there, if they could get off work."

"Thanks," said Jounochi and ran out, slamming the door in a rush.

Yugi wanted to rush out after him, but he also wanted a place in the regionals.

_Sorry Jounochi_, he thought.

Yami smiled at Tommy. "Thankyou for waiting so patiently."

Tommy smirked, his eyes shining mischievously. "Anytime."

* * *

Seto Kaiba was still wearing the blue trench coat he wore to the tournament.

He was outwardly composed as he presented the Duelling Disk to the Big 5 executives who were irreplaceable in running Kaiba Corp.

If they had been replaceable, Seto would have kicked them into the street long ago.

He was seething inwardly.

These men reminded him of his foster father Gozaburo and as such were revolting to him. Power hungry, ambitious, inventive in planning and bold in execution, they, along with Gozaburo Kaiba had put Kaiba Corp. on the proverbial map.

Seto had more than doubled the millions, but they had made them from scratch. These people were not irrelevant or weak, though they were obsequious when they talked to him.

Behind his back, they plotted to take over Kaiba Corp.

Seto concentrated on his presentation.

_I don't know why they despise me. _He smirked inwardly_. I guess I'm not a people person. _

He finished as usual, by stating what he wanted done. "I want this manufactured well, so no short-cuts. I don't expect it will be ready before the regionals," he went on as he saw one trying to object, "and I intend to feature them in a local tournament after Pegasus' Duellist Kingdom."

One of the five spoke up. "Pegasus is hosting a tournament? I expect we will be providing the hardware, so why had it not been brought to the board's attention?"

Another nodded. "We would be better able to deal with these things if you would let us know beforehand, Seto."

Seto Kaiba remained calm through an immense force of will

_If it's not one thing, it's another. Will they ever cease lecturing me! I know what I am doing, I am not a child. _

_At least they know nothing of the prototype game. _

He reflected, coldly dissecting the criticism. _If I were to start warning them, they would have time to think, and I would have them thinking as little as possible._

Automatically, he clarified. "Maxemillion Pegasus is hosting a tournament on his island, Duellists' Kingdom. We installed all that hardware privately for him, months after it had completed testing satisfactorily. There is nothing to bring before the board. His tournament, his equipment, ready to go."

He paused "Anything else? No? Good. Meeting Adjourned."

Seto smirked as the doors closed behind him. They would have their hands full for a while with production and final testing. The key to the disk was destroyed, and all loose ends neatly tied up in that quarter.

Seto left the building to go home for the first time that week.

They were always trying to find out his secrets, let them work out the existence of Otogi before next month's board meeting

_This leaves my hands unusually free to work on my world. I think I will make Mokuba the princess, it's the obvious choice._

Seto smirked at the thought of his little brother in a dress. _Ah, the little pleasures of life. Well he may be upset, but he will be in the greatest reality game of all time._

Seto sighed contentedly when he was sure nobody could see or hear him. The job had been demanding, at times even exhausting but its completion was immensely satisfying.

He didn't even mind the car tailing him home.

Due to his well trained and well paid staff, Seto managed to get into his house without being bothered by the mob of reporters outside who wanted to know whether he was going to play in the world championship to defend his title, what were his thoughts on cancer research – the latest charity he had donated to for tax purposes – and what his favourite colour was.

At home, he was met by screams coming from up the hallway.

Soon a dishevelled Mokuba appeared in a cape and with a sword, chased by some girls dressed as cheerleaders, followed by a clam Otogi in the bottom half of a dragon costume.

"Save me Seto!" Mokuba screamed, hiding behind his brother. "The damsels are attacking me because I was going to slay their dragon!"

Seto looked at Otogi, raising an eyebrow.

Otogi shrugged. "They're my cheerleaders. They follow me everywhere." He said helpfully, pointing to the now quiet and blushing girls.

Seto could see he would not get any work done here. Otogi already felt like a thorn in his side.

Quickly deciding, Seto patted Mokuba absently on the head, sent a rough "send them home," to Otogi, and proceeded through the house.

He could work best in the lab, naturally, but then the tail became a problem. The only other way out of the house was through the secondary control room in his lair, via the secret passage, through the garden, over the cliff into the waiting boat (Seto was always prepared for a quick exit) and quietly back to town.

Seto slammed the door on his way out. _Damn. It's going to rain._

* * *

Ryou Bakura was depressed.

He was really depressed.

It wasn't the normal kind of depression you get when your girlfriend leaves you.

He was also bleeding but the pain was a welcome distraction from the jumble of thoughts in his head.

It did however stain the school uniform he was still wearing.

Ryou was automatically cleaning up the mess around him. The windows were still wide open from Friday night. Ryou had closed the door into the hall.

Daylight and the sound of rain whitewashed the apartment. It seemed to Ryou like he was walking in a dream.

Ryou flinched as he passed mirrors. The one thing he was thankful for was that the entire thing had passed without notice.

After a while, his wounds stopped bleeding and he got used to the pain.

Even later, the apartment was cleaner than it had been in years and as clean as it could get.

Ryou stopped, and stood staring into space. He couldn't feel anything except emptiness now, that and warm swellings here and there. The apartment was empty, he was a walking shell, there was nothing, and it was as if nothing had happened.

Ryou went on methodically to clean himself up, soaking the uniform in cold water to get rid of the blood, patching up wounds using the first aid kit he kept under the sink and getting changed into his usual loose jeans, green shirt and white jumper – comfort clothes.

_There is no Senn Ring anymore, no pressure._ The next thought made him sad. _Nobody will leave me notes on the fridge anymore._

Ryou knew it wasn't just Keith who was gone.

Living with Keith was like living in a daydream. He hadn't been surprised at the outcome.

_Why does everybody always leave? _

_There must be something wrong with me._ He concluded.

Ryou had nothing left to do after patching himself up. He decided to leave the coffee and such around in the hope... _Well, hope springs eternal._

Ryou smirked, but it felt strange, so he stopped. He felt like running around and laughing at his freedom, but he could also lie in the foetal position and cry all day.

Ryou did nothing instead.

Some time passed, Ryou shook his head. _This is not very healthy._ He berated himself. _I need something to wake me up._

Ryou walked up to the kitchen table and took out a knife.

_Just a light cut_, he thought. _Only enough to concentrate my thoughts, not near veins, on the back of my wrist._

Ryou shut his eyes, bit his lip and quickly slashed. Nothing.

It took some time to find a knife sharp enough to cut human skin. There was only a little pain, a little blood and then sweet clarity in the fog of lost loneliness hat had enveloped him.

Ryou decided to keep that knife in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. After all, it was a kind of medicine.

* * *

Malik Ishtar massaged his temples; he had a headache the size of Lower Egypt. Domino city was very busy during the day, and the motorbike show even more so. Added to that, it was also very noisy. The smell of petrol didn't really bother him, but he had dressed too lightly – a light blue sleeveless cotton t-shirt, the usual jewellery, which didn't look out of place here and dark grey cargo pants.

Malik beamed at the upgrade parts in his hands, then stuffed them into a bag. Some of the bikes here were in really good shape and gave him a couple of upgrade ideas.

It had been worth the trip.

As he straightened up, Malik glanced around looking for Honda. He spotted the tall brunette a couple of rows along in torn jeans and a "you can take my life, but you'll never get my motorbike," t-shirt, looking avidly at tyres.

Malik smirked and looked at the sky. It was fast becoming cloudy but from a glimpse of the sun, he could tell it was near midday.

The show closed at ten, but Honda said he had to be home before dinner, which was at seven, so they'd have to leave soon after five. That meant five hours of tailing Honda not to get lost...

... _Whoop dee fucking doo_.

Marik smirked; he liked that expression and could see Jounochi coming up behind him in the rear view mirror display.

_Perhaps the plebeian could provide a distraction_...

...Malik felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to face Jounochi, a surprised smile on his face.

He was in fact, surprised that he had not been surprised to see Jounochi here.

"Hey Malik. Glad I've found ya. This place's full of freaks."

Malik laughed. "I wouldn't say that in front of Honda if I were you."

He pointed out the brunette, now chatting to a bikie decked out in leather, standing next to a black motorbike. As if that wasn't enough, the motorbike had flames and skulls painted on it.

Jounochi frowned. "I know better than to bother Honda when he's obsessin' about bikes." His face was grim.

"What's wrong, Jounochi?" Malik asked cheerfully.

"Ah, nothing. I just need three million dollars by next week." Jounochi slumped onto a nearby bench.

Malik sat nearby and smiled. "Spare tyre?"

Jounochi was startled. "Huh?"

Malik smiled encouragingly. "Do you want a spare tyre?"

Jounochi was really confused. "Uh. What'd I do with a spare tyre?"

Malik shrugged, leaned back on the bench, resting his head on his hands and smirked at the darkening sky. "All I have to give is a spare tyre and until you tell me why you need three million dollars, I'm afraid I can't really be of greater assistance."

Jounochi slouched. "Point taken. Well, you know my sister Shizuka went to see an optometrist?"

Malik nodded. "A doctor, yes. She was going blind."

Jounochi winced. "Well, she'd gonna go blind soon forever, unless she can get an eye operation. The only time that's available is next week and guess what? It costs three million. I'm not Seto Kaiba, I can't just pull three million dollars outta my ass. So, do you know of any way for me to get it by next week?"...

...Marik smirked. "Sucks to be you."

He pretended to think for a bit, carefully watched by Jounochi. He grinned. "Well, I can think of one way. But I need to know how badly you want this."

Jounochi smirked. "Yeah right."

He then shrugged. "I'd die for my sis, if you must know."

Marik nodded. "Good, so you can keep this quiet. Nobody'd believe you anyway but I won't take any chances. How would you like to be a Rare Hunter?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you see, I'm not really Malik. My name is uh... not important, but you can call me Namu."

Jounochi looked sceptically at Marik.

"I run a secret organization employing such people as yourself who need something only I can provide. In your case, three million dollars by next week. I use..."

Here Marik displayed the Millenium Rod.

"I am destined for this magic Millenium Rod, one of seven Senn Items. It can control people's minds and send them to the Shadow Realm – a very nasty place. I use the organization of my Rare Hunters for whatever ends I choose.

"Once you are a rare Hunter, There is no going back unless I release you, and believe me, I won't.

"I am, in fact an age old reincarnated soul, and Malik doesn't know about me. I am very powerful, and I have a job that's up for grabs.

"I need the mind of a very rich man who can fund my operations. He is a motorbike fan and will visit the show tomorrow. All you have to do is set up a successful ambush, mind you, he has security and you do not.

"Since he will give me billions, I can spare three million for you. However, you will be in my service until I release you – so, for ever."

Jounochi, who had looked sceptical at first, had been stunned by the appearance of the Millennium Rod and the fact that the end of Marik's speech had occurred in his head.

He swallowed. "Uh, Namu? You couldn't give me a friend's discount?"

Marik grinned maniacally. "Oh I am. You call me Namu. The other Rare Hunters have to call me Master Marik. And as I'm feeling generous, I will give you two people to assist you in all tasks.

"They'll serve me, but they'll follow your orders. ANY orders. Mind you keep them alive. It was hard enough to replace the batch I lost last week."

Jounochi thought, but Marik could see there was nothing to think about; this was Jounochi's only choice.

He nodded, decided. "I'll do it."

Marik grinned as the rain started to fall and lightning lit up the sky. "Good." The Senn Rod started to glow. Jounochi swallowed.

* * *

Yugi frowned worriedly. Something strange was happening to him this weekend. Yesterday, he had brushed off Jounochi for the sake of winning a duel. _Is duelling really that important to me? Jounochi had seemed really agitated, the duel could have waited, at least long enough for him to tell me what was wrong. _

_Perhaps I should find him,_ Yugi thought, taking his jacket and walking out into the rain.

But Jounochi was nowhere to be found. Yugi had looked everywhere; school – in case of a Sunday detention, their favourite lunch spots, and the arcade, where he bumped into Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba was sitting on the couch in front of the duelling screen and everybody kept a discreet distance away from him. He lazily looked over his shoulder at the dripping and obviously worried Yugi. He smirked.

"Trouble in paradise?"

The comment didn't register in Yugi's head, he was getting desperate, and right now, Kaiba was the only one that could help. "Have you seen Jounochi?"

Kaiba raised his eyebrow. "Lost your pet? Why don't you whistle, offer a treat, he might come back. You shouldn't let him off his leash like that, who knows what garden he is digging up right now."

Yugi frowned. "Please, Seto, it's really important."

Kaiba winced. "Kaiba."

"Sorry, Kaiba. But it's really important."

Kaiba looked thoughtfully at Yugi, who felt like he was being carefully assessed. "He came in here yesterday morning. He looked really upset, not to mention agitated." Kaiba smirked. "Sort of like you do now. He said he was looking for his friends who worked here – probably part of your retinue."

Yugi was listening attentively. "And?"

"They weren't here. Then he asked the manager to loan him three million dollars. He looked desperate. I'm not sure how he expected his friends to help him. Somehow it seemed to make sense in that vacant head of his."

Yugi was stunned, and looked disbelievingly at Kaiba.

Yugi started smiling weakly; he was confused. Seto Kaiba was not known for his sense of humour, and he looked perfectly serious, if bored.

Still, three million dollars!_ For what? Why didn't he tell me?_ Then it hit.

"Oh." Yugi managed worriedly.

Kaiba continued as if oblivious. "I wonder he didn't come running to you, tail between his legs."

"He did." Yugi replied automatically.

Kaiba smirked. "And you sent him on his way? I'd agree with that treatment, but then that is just me. I wonder if he doesn't think fame's gone to your head."

"He wouldn't think that." Yugi replied, wide-eyed.

"Yes, he is pretty thick, so perhaps it hasn't sunk in but the way you're going, I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Speaking of time, you're wasting mine."

"Oh." Yugi shook himself. "Thanks for your help." But Kaiba was no longer paying attention. Yugi wandered off aimlessly, eventually finding himself in the park.

Yugi collapsed onto a bench with a splash. He was soaked and exhausted, not to mention very upset. There was a slight chance that Jounochi was with the others somewhere – the motorbike show was supposed to be on all weekend or maybe Mai made him carry shopping bags for her and Anzu.

Knowing Jounochi if he was that upset, he'd say something, unless he was REALLY upset, in which case...

Yugi remembered back to when he'd had no friends and Jounochi and Honda bullied him, even taking his Senn Puzzle once. He stood up for Jounochi later and they had become friends. He had also once defended Anzu from a purse-snatcher.

Now that he thought about it, he didn't remember how he'd done it. _Weird. This sort of stuff never happened before I pieced together the Senn Puzzle._

It had been hard to make friends, and Yugi held the puzzle partly responsible for his good luck. But recently, it was as though the puzzle had focused its luck on Duel Monsters, to the detriment of everything else.

He had to do something. Otherwise, it was going to lose him all the friends he had come to cherish. If the puzzle was at fault, it meant there was only one thing that he could do.

Yugi frowned at his puzzle worriedly. _Maybe I should throw it away._ Duelling meant a lot to him; it was his life, but his friends meant more.

He took off the puzzle as if in a daze, and carried it to the nearby bridge, pausing to stare at the river below.

_What about grandpa? He gave me the puzzle to keep,_ flashed in Yugi's mind.

Yugi shook his head and smiled at the mental picture of his grandfather. _He'd understand. _

Yugi held the puzzle over the rushing water, sped up by the rain ... and ... let ... go.

It fell in with a splash and Yugi suddenly felt hollow, like he'd lost part of himself.

Walking away, he pondered something that Anzu had said.

"There's more to life than Duel Monsters." Yugi smiled sadly; he still couldn't see it. Duel Monsters was life to him. But he found he valued his friends more than life.

He just hoped he wasn't too late.

* * *

Seto's eyes were glazed over as he stared into space, tallying all the things that could go wrong in his life at the present moment, which he had not provided for.

It was a long list and didn't make him feel any happier. Though, naturally it was a vital activity; to be able to deal with these events smoothly if indeed they occurred.

This, a rare event in Seto's life – he had nothing to do. To be precise, he had run out of things to do and was now doing a mental housekeeping.

The tally didn't take very long, and ran all the way from the disturbing 90 percent chance that Otogi would make school uncomfortable to be in on Monday, through the 50 percent chance of the investigation into Gozaburo Kaiba's death being reopened, to the miniscule chance that the Big 5 would all resign today.

Seto smirked inwardly at the last. _Wishful thinking. _

He was still feeling the satisfaction of his petty revenge on Yugi. Although it had meant plummeting to the level of his so called peers, Seto wasn't in the mood to care; in his eyes, this made them even. Now he had one less plan in the works.

He was still sitting on the couch in front of the duelling screen. Seto had done all the work he could on his world, and after falling asleep in the simulator, found that he had today completely free. Since it was raining, he went to the nearest place he wouldn't be bothered at.

Seto knew Ludo from way back, they had met through Pegasus back when Gozaburo Kaiba had still run Kaiba Corp. Since his untimely death, most merchandise that Kaiba Corp. had wanted to test had gone to Ludo first.

For the next year, at most, the arcade officially belonged to Otogi. It had been done before when Pegasus had launched Duel Monsters. Needless to say Ludo was Pegasus' choice for manager. It was the only thing Seto hadn't changed after Kaiba Corp. got the arcade back from Pegasus. Needless to say, the two had different ideas about what an arcade should look like.

In the purchase agreement, Ludo came with the arcade. Ludo, in turn made sure Seto wasn't pestered by the kids and had all the coffee he wanted.

Seto usually didn't trust people unless he absolutely had to; the Big 5, his staff and sometimes Pegasus. Mokuba and Ludo were the only exceptions, and he couldn't trust Mokuba not to get hurt or tricked.

Nobody could hurt Ludo and nobody had ever tried to trick him.

Seto considered Ludo to be smart. In a very animal sense of course, but he seemed a good judge of character. Sort of like dogs had a great sense of smell and keen hearing.

Seto felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Ludo, handing him an ancient mobile phone – Ludo's. "Boss's callin', boss." Ludo called both Pegasus and Seto 'boss'. Seto wondered briefly what he'd call Otogi and whether it could get confusing.

"Kaiba here."

"Kaiba boy!" No matter how many times he heard it, that greeting and that voice made him shudder. He waited for the punch. "I hear you lost spectacularly to none other than little Yugi Moto! Tsk, tsk, bad form for the great Seto Kaiba to lose. People might start to think you're human." It was below the belt and it stung, but Seto was never one to lose his cool.

In arctic tones, he replied. "Your point?"

"Actually, funny you should say that," Pegasus sounded thoughtful which was a bad sign. "I've had a breach in my security. That's why I called; you can be here in two hours. I've sent my helicopter with a suit to pick you up."

Seto considered leaving Pegasus in the lurch but since he had designed the security system himself, it was a matter of pride. "Fine." He turned off the phone.

_I don't know why I thought he might have understood._

Seto smirked inwardly at the following thought. _Perhaps he does._ _Pegasus is as slippery as they come._

He handed the phone to Ludo. He had a little time, since there was a helipad on the roof of the shopping centre. Seto asked for his sixth cup of coffee. Ludo wasn't fazed – he'd seen Seto on worse days than this.

"Sure thing, boss. I recon' you'll soon build up an immunity."

* * *

Bakura grinned. _This is too easy, and you were worried._

Bandit Keith didn't answer. He must have wandered off.

Bakura slipped off the tree, with catlike grace. Keith's body protested but he paid it no heed. This situation was only temporary, and damn all of Marik's insinuations, Bakura objected to the treatment of Ryou. It was his body too.

He walked quietly through the forest, periodically glancing at the Senn Ring. Keith's memory had yielded the location of the Senn Eye – Maxemillion Pegasus, currently on his private island, Duellist Kingdom.

It had taken a while but he now knew all the patrol routes and times. He could hear Keith mumbling in his head; he was back, and kept going on about revenge on Pegasus.

Bakura ignore it, it was just prattle, it didn't matter.

Keith – through threatening to destroy the Senn Ring and thereby, Bakura – had found out that the ring could summon creatures from the shadow realm but he had been unable to use it properly.

Bakura was quite pleased with the result.

He looked up at the castle wall. This was where the forest met the base of the castle. Too high and exposed to climb, besides, he doubted Keith's body could be made to hold it'd own weight. The man was built like a tank.

Bakura felt a slight pang. He missed his true form – the agility and reflexes that he'd worked on after awakening from the Senn Ring. He also missed Ryou. It was tiring having to remain in control the whole time; he wondered how he'd done it back in Egypt. Ryou was good at housekeeping, usually. Bakura was a little worried the boy may react badly to losing the ring and being dumped.

He shook his head. This wasn't helping. _The issue could wait._ Bakura could trust Marik to keep his word...

He shook his head again. _I want to trust him and I WILL. Otherwise there is no point in continuing with this._

He wouldn't admit it even to himself, but Bakura knew he didn't want to end up alone. He'd always taken for granted that he and Marik were meant to be, – even now he missed the opportunity of the boy's presence; when it was just a phone call away – he wasn't about to start second guessing himself now.

_Besides, my instincts have never steered me wrong. India was just bad luck._

He felt Keith struggling for control. It was easy to push him back. The man was on the brink of madness.

Bakura smirked and looked around. _There should be a door... there!_ He walked up and looked at the coded keypad. Every castle has a back door. He hotwired it, as he couldn't be stuffed waiting for a guard.

_Damn!_ He sensed he'd set off the silent alarm, but at least the door was open. _Hats off to whoever designed this system_, it was the best he'd ever come across, and he had dealt with plenty.

Bakura slipped inside and started running, silently. He pushed the pain of the protesting body aside, he had to find the stairs. Bakura followed the directions of the ring.

Eventually, he climbed up into the main castle. It was a pity he'd forgotten his deck, but Keith's would do. He let the man take over from here...

...Bakura smirked as he watched Keith go where the ring pointed. Bakura considered the strategies possible with Keith's deck, found one he liked and sat back to admire the view. There were paintings on the walls, mainly of a girl and a man in a turban Bakura vaguely remembered. He laid these conundrums aside for later.

Keith had found Pegasus in the highest room of the tallest tower. He was impeccably dressed, as if expecting visitors.

"Well, well, well, somehow I didn't think you had the brains to get in here Bandit Keith." Pegasus smiled.

"Rematch" Keith panted.

Pegasus nodded calmly. "I see you have acquired the Millennium ring. Did Shadi give it to you I wonder."

Bakura noted the name and attached it to the man in the portrait. _Only the man with the turban could have such a name and he must have presented Pegasus with the Millennium Eye, which would explain his presumption and the existence of the portrait._

"Who the hell! Duel Me!"

"Temper, temper. Then I guess you stole it. That will never do. I'll duel you but you will put up your item as the prize."...

... Bakura nodded, keeping his thoughts as Keith like as possible. "You too." The voice was a little harder, but the sunnies he wore masked what used to be baby blue eyes beautifully.

"But naturally." Pegasus shrugged elegantly. "I trust you know how to use that thing, for we'll be duelling in the Shadow Realm."

Bakura growled in imitation of Keith. "Enough talk."

Pegasus smiled as the room darkened. "Your move."

* * *

Malik sighed as he finished work on the bike. He had managed to avoid getting his jeans and black hooded sleeveless top covered in oil with the aid of an apron.

Jounochi had agreed to accompany Honda to the bike show – it was the last day and they promised fireworks. Malik wasn't entirely comfortable in big crowds, he felt like he wasn't supposed to be there, so out in the open.

He wasn't one for reminiscing about his traumatic childhood but he supposed it had something to do with having to live in what was basically a tomb and not being allowed to associate with people His sister, Ishizu had let him sneak out once with her.

It was all still a mess in Malik's mind but he remembered that his father had found out, that Malik had grabbed the Senn Rod and the rest was a blank.

He remembered waking up in a house in town and Rashid and Ishizu telling him their father had died. Rashid...

Malik wondered where Rashid was now. Back then, Ishizu had taken the Senn Necklace for her own – she'd been destined for it anyway – and they had carried on the tomb keepers' duty while living in town.

Rashid had gotten a job and gave what little money was left over from bills, to Malik.

Ishizu had bumped into the keeper of the Senn Items in town – Shadi – and he had visited them often.

If it wasn't for the fact that Shadi didn't really know anybody else and didn't really do anything in his time off work except check the balance of power in the universe wasn't slipping, Malik would say that Shadi had a crush on Ishizu...

...Marik looked at the bike happily and wondered where Rashid was now. He was the only one, apart from Bakura and Marik suspected Ishizu that knew of his residence in Malik's body.

As tomb keeper, he was charged with the safety of the Egyptian God Cards.

Marik had gotten his hands on two – The Winged Dragon of Ra and Slyther the Sky Dragon before he left. Ishizu had managed to foresee the attempt and taken Obelisk the Tormentor for herself.

_She was pretty good with the Senn Necklace, though she could not control when the visions would come._ Malik hadn't asked, but he had a feeling the sprit of the necklace had not awakened yet.

_Well, this was all well and good, the Rare Hunters would watch for Obelisk to surface in some player's deck. _After all, Ishizu didn't duel and she would have to give the card away so that person could duel Malik for the other god cards.

Marik grinned. She was also, it seemed, convinced that a good thrashing in a duel would get Malik back to his senses – in effect evict Marik for good.

Marik doubted it would work for one, and for the other, he doubted he would lose; he knew the full extent of the powers of all the god cards, and consequently, how to beat them.

It was good of Shadi not to interfere, but then he was keeper of the Millennium Items, not the cards. He was only supposed to prevent any imbalance caused by someone having too many items. The items themselves had a habit of finding those who were destined to wield them.

Marik wondered if he should tell Bakura and felt a pang of worry.

He shrugged it off. Tomorrow would tell if the thief had really gone and Marik had to baby-sit Ryou. _Tomorrow would have to be soon enough._

As for the Senn Items, Marik and Bakura didn't talk about their respective schemes for world domination. Marik wanted all the god cards and thereby the power of the pharaoh.

He knew that Bakura was collecting the Senn Items for ultimate power or some such, but he had never asked the details. He'd rather not know if he was foiling Bakura's plans with his own.

Marik shook his head, his golden jewellery jangling. _This isn't helping._ He stood, left the garage, locked it, and went up to his apartment. The Millennium Rod appeared in his hands as soon as he had shut the door. He locked it, and fell onto the couch.

Marik sent out a probe and found what he wanted: the three Rare Hunters that he had ordered near the bike show. He possessed one, and found himself in the body of a girl. He smirked at the weird sensation and ordered the other two "You will find Jounochi (attached mental picture) at the motorbike show and do as he says from now on."

He heard the staple "Yes Master Marik" and addressed the girl whose mind was preoccupied – she was shopping. He could see her vision layered over his.

"I would have gone with the other dress. When you have time, I have work for you."

He heard a whispered "How long?" And guessed she was shopping with friends.

"From today and for at least a week." She was one of his best rare Hunters and Marik wanted to keep an eye on Jounochi for a while.

He could feel her nod. "I'll need some time to finish my business here."

"Take as long as you want, "Marik shrugged, "just mind you're at the motorbike show today at seven."

Marik broke the link after she nodded. He found Jounochi and waited for him to be alone.

"Hello Jounochi, time for work."

The boy jumped. "Geez, Namu, scare a guy to death why don't ya!" He whispered.

Marik smirked as he layered the boy's vision over his. "You need some time?"

"No, I'm ready." Jounochi sounded determined.

"All right. I'm sending over two boys from your class."

"Wow. They're Rare Hunters?"

Marik nodded. "They want to be great duellists like Seto Kaiba and Yugi Moto, and I had a couple of positions to fill. They're nobody you know very well."

Jounochi nodded. "Right. And I haveta tell 'em what to do, and they'll do all I tell 'em."

Marik smirked. "Very good, Jounochi, you're doing well. You, with their help have to get me this man (attached mental picture). He will be at the main hall today and he'll stay for the fireworks. I need you to follow him quietly, then during the fireworks, grab him and bring him to me."

Jounochi frowned. "What about security?"

Marik shrugged. "Two guards. Knock them on the head or something – they'll be watching the fireworks or if they're competent, the fireworks are enough of an excuse for one of you to bump into them, providing a distraction, or you could wait till one has to go to the bathroom. I don't care, just get him to me. Once I have him, he'll be on out side, a rare Hunter of sorts, just like you."

He felt Jounochi nod. "Right boss. We'll grab him, but how d'we get him to ya?"

Marik smirked. "I'll have an associate standing by. I'll use her to get to him. All I need is proximity or direct contact. A kiss on the cheek would do." He felt Jounochi think back to the picture of the man ingrained in his memory.

"Eeew, I don't envy her job. The money..."

"Will be in the form of a cheque to the doctor. I'll have him sign one for you."

"Won't they freak out at the bank?"

Marik smiled. "They probably will, the police too, but if the man says he paid for your sister's operation in return for testing his security measures, who'll argue?"

He felt Jounochi nod, then broke contact.

Marik then requested short reports from the others. He'd have to wait for the money before starting up his base of operations again.

All this would have been easier with Rashid but the only person Marik wanted to see was Bakura.

What had Malik called Ryou? _A ghost? Yes, the thief must be a ghost because he haunts my mind in his absence._


	7. Interesting Times

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch7: Interesting times.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

* * *

**The Dream of Shadi**

The Priestess laid out the body as she had done many times for those who wished to be blessed before mummification. This one was a noblewoman who killed her first husband and was in turn slain by her second. The priestess could not prove this, she just knew, it was part of the burden of being a seer.

It took her some time to notice Shadi who was standing in the doorway.

When she did, the priestess turned, smiling. "The wanderer of desert winds is welcome here." She intoned the formal greeting. She was but one of the three destined guardians of the true power of Egypt.

This priestess and oracle was among the only people Shadi visited on a whim. Marik, the noble son of the tomb keeper of the Pharaohs was another, the last being the Pharaoh himself.

"Ari Ishtar, it is my good fortune that the winds drew me here today." He returned.

"What is on your mind?" Asked Ari gently, concluding her duty to the deceased. When she was finished, the slaves would take the body from her shrine to be embalmed.

"I hear a foreboding whisper on the wind and it comes from here."

Ari nodded, serene as always. "A great storm is coming, one that will change many things."

Shadi was concerned but not surprised. "For good or bad? What can be done?" these were the questions he had come to ask.

Ari smiled at him. "Change is change, there will always be some good and some bad."

The answer was as always not very helpful, but Shadi couldn't be upset with such a lovely smile granted him.

Ari contunied, shrugging. "As for the other, many things can be done, but not by those who know what they are. Such is the nature of things."

Shadi sighed, his worry mounting. "The balance is in jeopardy and we may only watch?"

Ari finished her work and came towards Shadi, the fan he had given her in hand. "Everything will be all right." She said soothingly.

Shadi raised an eyebrow sceptically, feeling much calmer despite himself.

Ari smiled, "Or it will all end and this realm will be swallowed by its shadow."

Shadi smirked.

"Worse things have happened and this world is still here." Ari continued, "I have faith this world is durable."

Shadi's smirk turned into a smile. "Will wonders never cease; next you will be saying you follow the recent theories on soul mates."

Ari Ishtar lowered her eyes guiltily. "I have heard the discussions and I…"

Shadi hastily put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I was joking. Explain the theories, perhaps they have merit, for what I heard as I walked by the market did not sound promising."

Ari looked up at Shadi smiling, and he reluctantly removed his hand.

"The theory that fascinates me, is that on creation, the soul was too big to fit into one vessel, so each one was split in half, the two perfect compliments of each other born in separate beings. They are always born nearby or in a position where they will meet, and are drawn to each other upon meeting."

Shadi nodded thoughtfully. "It is nothing to start a cult over though."

Ari looked surprised. "Are they starting a cult?"

Shadi shrugged. "Don't they always?"

Ari glanced at the body behind her. "Do you believe we will be with our soul mates in the afterlife?"

Shadi smiled. "Do you know some say this is the afterlife, with a life before that and another after it, so into eternity."

"But I do not remember living before."

"That doesn't mean you did not; no doubt there are times in this life you cannot recall."

"What about soul mates?"

"It follows that they must be drawn to each other by a common force. Perhaps this woman and her husband are drawn by death, so we too are drawn by our work."

The priestess tried to cover her blush with the fan. "How can you be so sure we are soul mates?"

Shadi raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You are the seer, nothing is closed to you, are you saying I am wrong?"

She gave up on the fan. "No, you are not wrong," she said quietly, peering into Shadi's eyes, "but I repeat, how do _you_ know?"

Shadi smiled reassuringly. "I am Guardian of the Balance, you are Guardian of Time. I have nothing I consider my own save my soul, as do you. I am where I am meant to be, and do what I am meant to do, as do you. I am complete, and, if you were to leave the daily grind for even a short time, you would see you are too."

His eyes lost focus as he remembered, "being complete, if you sit and listen you hear your ki, the ki that needs nothing, but is inexplicably drawn to you."

He smiled into her glowing face. "You would hear it too were you to listen."

**The Dream of Shadi**

* * *

Yugi Moto had cheered up significantly since Sunday. The weather had improved and he would be seeing his friends at school. In fact to his surprise, as soon as he reached the school gates, early as usual, he was greeted by a slightly sad Anzu.

"Good morning Yugi."

"Good morning Anzu, how was your shopping weekend?"

Anzu sighed. "It was exhausting Yugi, but I learned a lot, and Mai insisted on buying me anything I even remotely liked." Here, a small smile. "I don't know how it all fit in my wardrobe, or where I'm going to wear most of it, but it was fun."

Yugi cocked his head to the side, guessing what the problem could be. _It's Mai that's upset her, but how should I phrase the question? I need something neutral._

He chose. "Is Mai still determined to beat Rex Raptor?"

Anzu smiled sadly. "I suppose, she flew off last night."

_So that's it._ Yugi thought while Anzu quickly made excuses for her friend.

"Well, she has the regionals to train for and there are several tournaments coming up that could boost her rating."

Anzu shrugged it away, reminding Yugi of her normal reaction to upcoming tests when she had done all the studying she could. "How was your weekend Yugi?"

Yugi told her about the duel and getting into the regionals.

"That's great Yugi!" Anzu exclaimed, all sadness forgotten.

Yugi hung his head guiltily, and told her about Jounochi's visit and what he found out subsequently.

Anzu frowned. "I'm sure he'll understand Yugi, and it isn't like you could have helped him anyway."

"Thanks Anzu." Yugi replied, feeling better despite his guilt and concern for Jounochi.

He was not yet comfortable talking about losing the Senn Puzzle, even though his grandfather's reaction had been exactly what he had expected it to be.

_Well, after he'd stopped shouting._

They walked silently into class, unpacked and sat down, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Why the long faces?" said a grinning Jounochi as he entered the class unusually early and took his seat next to Yugi.

Yugi took a deep breath. "Jounochi, about Saturday…"

"Don't sweat it."

"But…"

"I said don't worry Yugi. You help me with this one thing and we're square." Jounochi grinned at Yugi, who suddenly had a sinking feeling.

Yugi sweatdropped. "Uh, sure Jounochi, what is it?"

Jounochi's eyes glimmered conspiratorially. "Well, seeing as how you're teacher's pet and all, I was just wonderin' if we couldn't gang up and get him…"

Yugi interjected, surprised. "Her."

Jounochi looked genuinely surprised. "Really? Miss or Mrs? Is she good looking? No, well she couldn't be, I'd remember. Damn, have I been callin' her 'sir'? "

Yugi shook his head, amused.

Jounochi took this as an answer and returned to his point. "Anyways, we need'ta gang up on 'im and get 'im to let me have tomorrow off, coz Serenity's havin' her operation and I gotta be there."

Yugi was stunned speechless for a moment. "But, Jounochi, it's three million dollars, isn't it? How did you get it so quickly?"

Jounochi looked a little put off by the question, but was saved from answering by the entrance of a tall boy with long black hair, a crowd of admiring girls in tow.

Yugi smiled at Jounochi's frown – some of these girls were from other years, not to mention classes.

However, the teacher arrived and Yugi was pulled to the front by a determined Jounochi. There was no time for curiosity about this stranger or the entrance of an icy cold Seto Kaiba – colder than usual that is.

* * *

Seto Kaiba entered behind the giggling crowd and went to his desk. He could see the teacher was engaged in conversation with Yugi and his puppy, and so was unable to do anything about Otogi.

_I don't suppose there are many people that can do anything about Otogi._

Seto gladly dismissed the problem of having to show the boy around on his first day – the girls were currently fighting for that 'honour'.

He pulled out the backlog of homework that was so kindly sent to his home during the week – he had called in sick, and started doing it automatically. It was slower than if he concentrated but it left his mind free, besides, he had a full day of classes which would be more than enough even at this pace.

Seto's thoughts turned to his visit to Duellist Kingdom on Sunday. The helicopter ride had been uneventful, but when he got there, he was told Pegasus had disappeared. It had taken his initiative to arrange a search party because Croquet was away and everyone else there was incompetent.

They'd found the head of Industrial Illusions unconscious. The doctors said they could see no reason for it and would keep him in the castle under observation. There were signs of a break-in but no signs of the intruder. After revamping the security, Seto was forced to leave that puzzle and go home.

_How did he pull it of and leave no trace?_

* * *

Ryou Bakura, or rather, Bakura in Bandit Keith's body stood in the tower room, examining his new gleaming, Senn Eye. Pegasus lay on the floor unconscious.

This had surprised Bakura initially, but he got over that quickly. _He is a lot older than I or Marik, so I suppose it is more likely to happen to him. _He knew he wouldn't have been surprised had he known the late Maxemillion Pegasus better, but if he had his way, it would be too late now.

As he turned to leave, he felt a presence behind him.

He turned slowly, a card ready in his hand. He was faced with the man from the portraits. Shadi.

"Return what does not belong to you thief." The man said with determination.

Bakura smirked. "I won it in a contest, who are you to say it does not belong to me?" Shadi looked put off.

He looked over at Pegasus, for what Bakura surmised to be moral support. "I am the Guardian of the Senn Items, the Balance is mine to upkeep. You are not destined for the Senn Eye, and he needs it to live."

Bakura nodded, remembering he was still in Keith's body as blonde hair momentarily obscured his vision. "That may be, but I would still be owed an item for winning the contest."

He produced the Senn Ring. "Unless I am mistaken, you don't have to be destined for an item to own it."

Bakura's smirk widened to a grin as Shadi produced the Senn Tauk and Senn Scales. "And if I have to take both away so you don't disturb the Balance?"

Bakura shrugged lazily and walked over to sit on the windowsill. "I have had enough duels for today, Guardian, and might I point out that it's rather hypocritical of YOU to have more than one item. You can hardly be destined for both."

Shadi's answer was stiff. "I am not."

_I love honest people._

Bakura nodded, and made himself comfortable on the windowsill. "So people can fairly own items they're not destined for."

Shadi wavered, but held on to the probable reason for his coming. "Yes, but your case is different. The life of this man would be on your hands."

_Ah, guardians, so selfless._

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "So? What's it to me?"

Shadi frowned, seemingly lost for words. "But…"

Bakura pressed his point. "Let me tell you something about people, Guardian. We're selfish and base and use anything we can to get our ends.

"I, for instance know you're a Guardian, which means you can't do anything outside the rules which you keep. That's how I knew I can own items I am not destined for – if YOU may do it, anyone else may too..

"So, I know the balance can't be upset by having more than one item, or YOU wouldn't be able to have two."

Shadi shook his turbaned head. "I would never use the items to upset the Balance."

"So you say. I might say the same, and mean it. I may collect all the items…"

He put up a hand to forestall Shadi's outburst. "…honestly, and as long as I never use them to upset the Balance there really isn't anything you can do.

"So, let's recap, shall we?" Shadi nodded, sadly. "I won this item fairly. I can own I items I am not destined for, so that's not a problem. I can own more than one item as long as I don't abuse the power, so that is no barrier either. In fact, I am fully within my rights here and you have no business calling me a thief."

Bakura smiled as he felt the warm tingly sensation of being a sneaky bastard. _The best thing is, he knows I'm right._

Shadi looked defeated and seemed to forget Bakura or rather Bandit Keith. "But he'll die, slowly. As it is, he'll be bedridden for at least three weeks. First Malik running away, then this. Ishizu will never speak to me again…."

Bakura was not surprised, but this information was unexpected.

_A bit lax of Marik not to mention Shadi, but it's not something that'd come up in conversation. Huh, I can just imagine it._

"_I'll take the seven Millennium Items and gain ULTIMATE POWER! Mwahahaha!"_

"_Good luck with that, by the way, Bakura, you know there's a turbaned guy called Shadi out there guarding the Millennium Items?"_

"_Really? You tell me this now?"_

"_Yeah, well it kinda slipped my mind for five thousand years. Better late than never!"_

Bakura shook his head smirking, but another thought arose, twisted and sneaky and opportunistic, just the way he liked them.

_Marik never told me whether he wanted to be found…_

* * *

Malik Ishtar got into class a bit late and had to elbow his way through a stream of exiting girls to get into his classroom. He managed to get to his seat, say hi to everyone and get briefed on the latest news before class started.

A new boy stood in front of the board, and Malik tuned out the voice of the teacher once he heard the boy's name was Otogi.

Malik looked around and the eyes of almost every girl were fixed on Otogi. All except Anzu's.

_Mai. _Malik guessed.

Jounochi looked happier than ever probably about his sister's upcoming operation.

Yugi was his innocent and happy self. _But something about him is different._

Honda looked tired, probably from hanging out at the motorbike show till closing time.

After the usual life's history, Otogi looked across the classroom at Seto Kaiba. Getting an icy stare, he walked over and sat next to Ryou, who greeted him politely, absentmindedly tugging on the sleeves of his school jacket.

The lesson began in earnest, and Malik's pang of jealousy was lost as he submerged himself in the teacher's ramblings. Once he had done his work and finished the homework written on the board, it returned full force.

There must have been something unsettling Ryou more than normal because he wasn't as quiet and controlled as he would have otherwise been. Malik acknowledged that his jealousy arose from the fact that it might be Otogi.

Ryou was working unusually slowly, occasionally replying to Otogi's questions and tugging on the sleeves of his jacket. Soon Malik saw why, and all thoughts of jealousy were massacred by an army of worry.

Ryou had what looked like fresh, clean cuts on his wrists, something that could only have been done with a knife and by his own hand. Malik studied Otogi as closely as he could from his seat, but the boy seemed too engrossed in catching up with the syllabus while at the same time slacking off to have noticed them.

Malik made up his mind to corner Ryou at lunchtime and get an explanation out of him, one way or another.

* * *

Yugi turned to Jounochi as soon as the group sat down to lunch.

"You didn't answer me before, Jounochi." He said worriedly.

Anzu nodded in agreement, showing that she had been listening before. "Yes, Jounochi, how did you get so much money in such a short amount of time?"

Malik looked at Jounochi expectantly and even Honda looked alert and curious.

Jounochi sighed, and put down the sandwich that was already halfway to his mouth. "I got a job with this rich guy who wanted me to test his security. He offered to pay for Serenity's operation in return."

Everyone ate thoughtfully.

Malik was the first to point out a flaw. "Some rich guy just happens to ask you? Aren't there companies that can do that sort of thing?"

Jounochi shrugged. "Dunno. But he did."

Malik pressed the point. "Where?"

Jounochi smiled. "At the motorbike show."

Honda looked surprised. "You were at the show?"

Malik answered him. "Yes, Jounochi bumped into me there and we hung around for a bit."

"You couldn't say hi to me?" Honda looked offended.

Jounochi grinned. "You wouldn'a heard us. AND I still remember you draggin'me round last time. That's scarred me for life, that has."

Anzu smiled at a glowering Honda. "Yugi got into the regionals."

A surprised series of congratulations followed and Yugi gave the details of the duel.

Jounochi beamed. "Ain't life grand? Serenity's operation's tomorrow, we got the teacher to give me a day off to stay with'er, Yugi's gonna be the greatest duellist ever, not countin' me of course…"

"Oh yeah?" Replied Honda, ganging up with Malik and wrestling Jounochi to the ground.

"Who're the greatest duellists in the world Jounochi?" Malik asked sweetly, tickling Jounochi as Honda held him down.

"Stop it guys," said Anzu laughing, as the boys released Jounochi.

Yugi nodded. "It's a little too early to celebrate Jounochi. I cannot be sure I will win, or even earn a high place without my Senn Puzzle."

A moment later, he was sorry it slipped out as he was forced to tell them he had lost it, 'accidentally' dropping it in the river.

Malik smiled but Yugi wasn't offended as Malik seemed to do that whenever he heard something unpleasant. "They really should do something about that bridge; it's a danger to public safety."

Anzu looked concerned at Yugi. "How did your grandfather take it?"

Yugi sweatdropped. "Not very well," he added, "but it was all right after he had calmed down."

Malik smiled and said seriously, "you are fortunate in your family Yugi."…

…Yugi frowned. "All I have is my mum and my grandfather."

Marik shrugged. "All I have is my sister in Egypt, but if she ever found out I was here…" He stood up, "Listen guys, I've got some stuff to do, I'll see you in class."

Yugi watched the boy's retreating figure.

"I'm pretty sure that's not legal." said Honda looking at Yugi.

Jounochi shrugged. "Eh, leave the kid alone. If I had a chance to get away from my parents…"

Anzu shook her head. "Jounochi, you don't know how to look after yourself."

Honda nodded. "Yeah, just look at the state you're in normally. On your own, you'd die."

Jounochi pretended to take offence. "I resent that, I recon I'd do very well."

Yugi kept looking in the direction Malik walked off, as his friends debated what Jounochi's apartment would look like if he lived alone.

_I'm fortunate in my friends too._

* * *

Seto was sitting in class during lunch. Unfortunately, Otogi had also decided to stay inside.

"Do you always socialize this much?" Otogi's amused voice cut through the quiet.

"Yes." Seto replied, taking a break from his homework and pulling out his laptop to check where the money of Kaiba Crop. was going and where it was coming from.

It was his policy to check the management of every part of his company, occasionally organising a surprise inspection for the worst trouble spots. That was the problem with people, they were never perfect, most weren't even close.

"What are you doing?" Otogi broke the silence again.

"Working." Seto replied, concentrating on the figures and doing some complex math.

They had hired new staff and promoted old to replace the people moving to the company they had recently taken over. Some of those promoted should not have been and many of those hired, especially at the bottom had not had thorough background checks. This led to fund mismanagement.

"Pegasus and Mokuba say you work too much. I mean, look outside, do you even talk to those people?"

"No." Said Seto. He couldn't have fund mismanagement, that would encourage the extremely corrupt Big Five.

"Pegasus says you do everything yourself, and check everything, you hardly spend any time with Mokuba. Other companies run just fine without all that overtime." Otogi said idly.

"They're inefficient."

"Industrial Illusions isn't. Pegasus says it does very well and he hardly has to do anything."

_Obviously your kind of work ethic._

"It runs itself." Seto had to agree.

It was the fact that Pegasus's company was based on the assumption that people in it were corrupt and Seto's was based, as all others, on the assumption that they weren't. It took a lot of work to make that true.

"It can't, no company can you know, Pegasus is just a genius." Otogi said in defence of his idol.

_Gods, this guy sounds like his cheerleaders. _

Seto shrugged inwardly, concentrating on an irregularity in the research and development departments. "You'll see."

"What do you mean?" Otogi sounded concerned.

Seto clarified, while sorting through the books. "Pegasus is ill. He won't be working for a while. You'll see his company does just as well without him."

_It'll run but it won't make astronomical profits anymore. Funny but aside from Duel Monsters, Pegasus never says what his company actually does._

Seto made a mental note to get Pegasus to tell him, in detail. It was bad policy doing business with a company you didn't know fully. _If Pegasus ever wakes up._

Otogi seemed to be forming another question when the latest theme from Pokemon announced a call.

Seto answered it halfway through the lyrics, as it was one of the newest model mobile phones. He had got it upon his arrival from Duellist Kingdom.

"Kaiba here." Seto answered as Otogi left, probably to get the details on Pegasus from Croquet.

"Sir, it's Mr Johnson." The worried voice was that of his secretary, who only ever called if it was something to do with the Big Five.

"Line's secure?" It was best to be careful.

"Yes sir."

"Go on."

"He has given all of his liquid assets to a new cult called Rare Hunters sir."

"It's his money, but keep me posted."

"There's something else sir. He's paid for the eye operation for the sister of a Jounochi, the same that is in your class sir."

"Any reason?"

"Apparently repaying a favour sir."

"That's all?"

"Yes sir, I'll keep you posted."

Seto replaced the mobile. He was not often surprised but the bit about Jounochi was very left-field.

_Let them join cults all they want, but an altruistic act warrants investigation._

With that he returned to his laptop and sent a couple of urgent memos before returning to his private audit. There were a few people in line for a surprise investigation.

* * *

Ryou cried out in pain from the bruises on his back as he was slammed into the wall behind the school. He collapsed into a crumpled heap at the base of the wall, when the tanned hands that had been holding him, let go.

He was tired and drained, but through the fog of loneliness that covered his thoughts, fear prickled him sharply.

_This isn't Malik._

Ryou looked up cautiously. The tanned blonde was standing in front of him, rage clearly imprinted on his face. He was giggling quietly. Ryou shuddered at the sound. He was not afraid for his life - he was sort of hoping that this insane boy standing in front of him might end it for him. He was afraid, like many sane people that whatever the boy had, was catching.

As always polite, Ryou settled for nodding to the strange boy - he would have stood, but he felt that that would merely invite another slam into the wall.

"Good afternoon, er..."

The boy smirked wickedly while glaring daggers at Ryou. "My name is none of your concern, but for convenience's sake, call me Namu."

"What do you want with me Namu?"

Ryou was watching the boy's deep blue eyes intently, so he noticed the brief flash of pain in them. "It was your stupidity that locked Bakura in the Senn Ring! And now you seem to want to destroy his chances of finding his way back." Here, Namu pointed to the fresh cuts on Ryou's wrists that Malik had chanced to see.

Ryou was slightly unnerved that the boy was watching him closely enough to have noticed. It did leave a warm light in the fog of his thoughts though. You can't be lonely if someone is paying you so much attention, no matter how unnerving. He was also curious about Namu, how and what he knew of the Senn Ring. One thing in the boy's speech captured his attention, however.

"Excuse me, Namu, but I AM Bakura."

Namu chucked at that. "You wish. Now, listen to me closely, vessel. For that is all you are, polite little Ryou. Bakura is the spirit of the Senn Ring, and you are its destined owner. That means you two are connected." Here his eyes flashed dangerously. "I am here to make sure that in your stupidity, you don't kill Bakura."

Ryou's mind was racing, now at least he knew who the presence in his life was, and had a link to him. Malik, it seemed, had a similar problem as he himself. "I don't understand Namu, what have you to do with Bakura?"

Namu ignored his question and leaned in to face Ryou. It was then he noticed that Namu was holding what seemed to be a rod made of pure gold. It had the same eye design on it as the Senn Ring. The Senn Rod, for that was what it must have been, started glowing.

After a short time, Ryou felt the fog of his thoughts lift away. He was no longer lost and lonely, instead he had the uneasy feeling he was being watched - from the inside.

Namu leaned away from Ryou, a smile of satisfaction playing on his lips. "You now belong to me, vessel until Bakura's return. You are free to do as you wish, but no more of this." He pointed at Ryou's wrists...

* * *

...Malik looked at Ryou, who was sitting at the base of the wall, looking at him curiously. He blushed. He did not remember why he was behind the school or why Ryou was on the ground, but from the crumpled state of Ryou's collar, it was easy to guess the truth.

"Are you allright, Ryou?" He asked tentatively, offering the boy a hand up.

Ryou smiled politely, but where there had been indifference in his eyes before, there was now uneasiness. "I am fine, thankyou Malik."

They quietly walked over to the front of the school and sat on a bench aside from most of the students having lunch. Surprisingly, it was Ryou who broke the silence.

"Excuse me, Malik?" Malik turned to face polite green eyes and nodded for him to go on. "This may sound strange, but do you have a rod made out of pure gold?"

Malik's eyes widened and he answered cautiously. "The Senn Rod is in my possession, yes. I am destined to wield it."

He smirked. "It has yet to show me what it can do besides decorate my flat."

Then, Malik looked intently at Ryou. "What in Ra's name brought it to your mind?"

Ryou seemed unnerved and looked away. "Until last Friday I had an item known as the Senn Ring." He said simply.

Malik was surprised but he felt that explained the cuts he saw on Ryou's wrists. When a person loses the key to his destiny, he has the right to be upset.

Tentatively, he lifted his hand and rubbed Ryou's back.

He smiled when the boy didn't flinch or move away. "Don't worry. Only Anubis can separate the item from the one it is destined for. It will find its way back to you."

Ryou looked up and faced him, anger flashing in his green eyes. "Excuse me Malik, may I inquire why you pretend to care?"

Malik was stunned and the two sat in silence until Ryou went on venomously. "I suggest you talk it over with Namu, he will save you the bother."

Ryou then seemed to run out of steam, and Malik felt the boy sag against his hand.

"Listen, Malik," said Ryou quietly, "I know my place in this world, I am a useful tool to people. My father needs me when he starts thinking of death and getting old. I am his claim to immortality and make him a family man. Others see me as a vessel or the possessor of the Senn Ring, and put up with me for their ends.

"I'll save you a lot of time if you permit me, Malik. The answers you seek lie inside you and bear the name Namu. I thank you for your company and am sorry for the trouble you went to."

With that, Ryou stood and left, leaving Malik's mind reeling.

After a while the bell rang, Malik stood up and smiling broadly, went to class. His madness had a name at last, Namu, and it was in some way connected to the Senn Rod. He had to unlock its secrets and his madness would reveal itself.

_Thankyou for the key Ryou,_ thought Malik cheerfully.

The boy's sadness added to the urgency of finding out about this Namu. Obviously, there was something, _well a lot_, about Ryou that he didn't know.

_I will find out everything about you, ghost, and bring you here from the world of shadows._

Malik walked, and did not stop to wonder why he wanted to do this or what it meant. If you thought too much about things, you were liable to go mad, Malik knew from personal experience.


	8. Arrivals

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch8: Arrivals.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Again! Ah! I do it too much! Apologising for the long wait – I had to scrape through some tough university subjects. Not worth the time spent, let me tell you. Yes, well enough excuses! Let me continue where we left off…

(A couple of notes:

Amenti is the religious Egyptian place of judgement and purification for dead souls.

A satrap is a local governor left in charge after being conquered, paying tribute to the Persian Empire.

Conon – an Athenian general – and his 8 ships took refuge in Salamis after their defeat at Sparta.)

* * *

F L A S H B A C K 

Cyprus, Salamis

The reign of Evagoras, satrap to the Persian Empire

The predominant smell was that of fish. But then Bakura had found that to be true of most docks.

It wasn't like the people around here cared. Every night small fires dotted the streets in the poorer districts.

Bakura had been revelling in the anonymity of Salamis at night. He had just washed the berry dye from his hair during a refreshing swim in the sea.

Bakura was still wet and salty but there seemed to be a festival on, so he was one of many. Though the streets were decorated and Bakura had lived here all of this life, he'd had a hard week and thus didn't know which festival was on.

_Thank the gods it's over._

Walking past the fires was unavoidable in that festive harbour – there were too many, all surrounded by people chatting or incapacitated. Some of them were sailors from Conon's Athenian fleet – comfortable in their element, some were poor and homeless – they welcomed the warmth, and some, like him were part of the unofficial thieves' guild – here for the talk.

Bakura grinned. _It's time to collect my reward._

As he approached the nearest fire, he noticed the young man. The gold jewellery he wore was unmistakeable, as was the armband Pemas Bakura had made for him.

The blonde, tanned Athenian sailor was standing with some other people around the fire, listening intently to the story being told by a scruffy urchin.

Bakura casually walked within earshot and hid in a convenient alcove to observe the group unnoticed.

"…but that is nothing to our Phantom. They say he can melt into shadows and steal everything you own in one night. No lock can stop him; he is the greatest thief in the world. You have heard of that hideous nobleman slain by his slave? Well, a week before, the Phantom…"

_News sure spreads quickly in Salamis._

Bakura thought back to his biggest heist so far. It had taken a lot of manoeuvring to get access and maps for the mansion. It had taken days of work to steal everything that wasn't nailed down, then the nails and then everything that was.

Bakura smirked as he remembered hanging around in the empty halls afterwards; trying to think of some way to make a mark to show it was him. He had been against drawing things on the walls every time he robbed a place because that was just asking for trouble, his anonymity earning him the street nickname Phantom, but it worked against him when trying to become the best thief in the world by reputation.

Bakura stretched as he remembered being captured because the owner had decided to come home early and sent his staff ahead to prepare the house. _That was a close call._

It had taken a bit of doing and a couple of switches with Pemas Bakura to convince the guards that he was an innocent slave, a present for their master who had been waiting at the house and hid when the robbery took place. Thankfully, the guards fell for it, mostly due to the fact that he did not have anything on him at the time and looked scared to death.

Bakura shuddered as he remembered the fat aging nobleman who owned the mansion, and his interest in his newest slave. He had eventually found the perfect opportunity and escaped, after a gruelling week. Bakura really hated being forced to kill people but the man really had it coming. Even the guards didn't seem too eager to capture the assassin.

Bakura pushed away the disturbing memories for later; they would make a nice bed-time horror story for Marik.

He looked over at the man by the fire. _It's sweet how Marik finds these things educational._

In the glow of the fire it was hard to tell whether it was Malik or Marik. The worried smile gracing his lips suggested it was Malik but the way he played with the razor sharp dagger he always carried made Bakura more inclined to suppose it was Marik.

_Marik, worried? Marik isn't the worrying type. Stab now, ask later is more him_.

Bakura smirked at the thought that Marik was worried about him. It was a rare thing to have Marik so obviously in the palm of his hand. The idea of all that power spread a warm, glowing sensation through his body, more than any alcohol had ever done.

_It would seem that Marik has lost this round._

Bakura stretched and climbing out of the alcove, made his way to Marik's side of the fire. He took his time to savour the warmth and excitement at the prospect of getting the reaction he wanted out of Marik, in spite of Marik's attitude to such reactions. If he played the beautifully dealt hand well, Marik didn't stand a chance.

Arguably the greatest thief in the world, and definitely the oldest, Bakura had learned the hard way that no victory was a victory unless it was complete. Tomorrow, a new round would begin, but today was going to be his.

F L A S H B A C K

* * *

Yugi Moto hurried to the bridge in the park, the group having chosen that meeting place for this Saturday despite the cold September wind. 

Yugi's leather warmed up quickly as he ran; he was late.

The ancient door handles on the door to his room had finally given way this morning, locking Yugi in. The window, seldom used anyway, and certainly not in autumn, was stuck and it had taken Yugi's grandfather a while to break down the door with the emergency fireman's axe.

It was very much like a takeoff of 'The Shining' except the axe head had fallen off, and Yugi was still repressing the memory of what his grandfather had used next. Suffice to say, they needed a new door, and perhaps a new door frame.

Everybody was already there, when Yugi arrived at the bridge, as well as a girl Yugi had never seen before, dressed in a pink dress and warm dark pink, furry coat. She had long brown hair and bandages over her eyes.

_This must be Serenity._

Serenity had gone home after the operation though she still had her bandages on and couldn't go to school. Jounochi had decided to take her out with his friends because he thought she would be bored cooped up at home all week.

Yugi waved to his friends as he approached. They were all wearing jeans save Malik, even Anzu, who preferred skirts. Honda wore a black sports jacket over a white t-shirt, braving the cold, Jounochi seemed immune to it in his white t-shirt. Anzu had on a blue warm coat over a sleeveless blue shirt. Malik was wearing black leather pants that looked like a second skin, with a golden belt. His t-shirt was deep blue, and said 'Angel' on it in gold lettering, he also seemed immune to the cold.

"Hey, Yugi!" shouted Jounochi, "I wanna interduce you to my baby sister, Serenity."

He looked over at the new girl. "Serenity, this is Yugi, one of my bestest buddies."

Yugi smiled at the introduction. "Pleased to meet you, Serenity."

Serenity bowed politely, saying in a sweet voice, "My brother has told me a lot about you Yugi. He said you are one of the greatest duellists in the world."

Yugi sweatdropped. "I'm sure he's exaggerating." He turned to all his friends. "I'm sorry I made you guys wait."

Anzu smiled. "It's fine Yugi, I was just asking Jounochi what made him want to become a duellist, what he duelled for."

Jounochi grinned. "That's easy. There's only one reason to duel. Heart of the cards, right Yugi?"

Yugi smiled, nodding. "Right."

Malik shook his head. "There are many reasons people duel. They should be free to choose their own, There is no right or wrong reason."

Yugi found it strange to see Malik so serious, and evidently, he was not alone.

Honda raised an eyebrow. "Why do you duel, Malik?"

Malik smiled, looking into the distance. "Freedom. When you duel, you're free to do whatever you want. Any monster, any move. You can truly be yourself and it's perfectly acceptable."

Yugi cocked his head to the side. "As long you don't cheat."

Then, suddenly, just like that, Malik was back and joking. He nodded, sagely, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Naturally if someone catches you, it is very bad." The smile broke out. "But sometimes it's just too tempting."

Yugi wasn't as surprised as he should have been. He looked with concern at his friend. "You mean, you…"

Malik laughed. "Me? Never."

Honda shook his head, smiling. "Innocent until caught, eh?"

Serenity smiled. "What about you, Honda?"

Honda raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you duel?" Malik clarified.

Honda smiled, looking at Serenity. "I'd have to go with heart of the cards, same as Yugi, Jounochi and Anzu."

Serenity nodded.

Malik cocked his head to the side. "Anzu, what made you ask?"

Anzu looked sad. "I don't know. Mai said she duelled for the money and the prizes, and I guess it got me thinking."

Jounochi walked over to Anzu and put a hand on her shoulder. "You miss her, huh?"

Anzu looked up at him, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Come on." Jounochi smiled. "I'm not stupid ya know. All you do is hang around with us guys all the time. It's fine if you miss having another girl around for once."

Honda smirked. "Look at Jounochi. The sensitive, new age guy."

Jounochi looked back at Honda. "Yeah, so what?" Honda raised his hands defensively, as Jounochi looked back at Anzu. "Well, cheer up, coz now Serenity's gonna hang out with us and you two can do all the girly stuff you want."

This provoked quite a reaction: Anzu blushed, Yugi sweatdropped, and Malik burst out laughing.

Jounochi exchanged bewildered looks with Honda, as Anzu stepped away from him, to open her coat pocket.

_Poor Jounochi, he can be so clueless sometimes,_ thought Yugi.

* * *

Seto Kaiba pushed away from the supercomputer, the keyboard sliding silently out of sight, his chair also soundless as it rolled backwards. 

"Done."

His voice sounded foreign in his ears. _Hm. It seems I am not as capable of pulling all-nighters as I used to be._

Seto frowned inwardly but soon he was reminded of the amount of stress that accompanied the laid back Otogi and the amount of work Seto had had to deal with this week alone. These were extremely important, probably mitigating factors.

Seto's frown disappeared and he relaxed. Naturally, none of this would have been noticed by a casual observer or even Mokuba for that matter. Seto would have made a truly proficient poker player.

His expression was the same now as it had been minutes before, when his source had finally exchanged the location of the last Blue Eyes White Dragon for the passwords to the defence ministry's database.

_What a pity his computer will be out commission as soon as he opens the e-mail._

The source had been holding the card's location to ransom – a tactic Seto disapproved of. He had throughout the years, collected three of the four Blue Eyes in existence. They were his favourite card – extremely rare and powerful. Now, at last he could have them all, and no feeble old man was going to stand in his way!

_I must keep in mind that going without sleep detracts from my executive faculties._

With that in mind, Seto stood up, walked over to and opened, the door of his secondary control room, coming face-to-face with Otogi.

The boy was longing against the nearby wall, and pounced when he noticed Seto.

"What are you doing today, Kaiba?"

_He looks bored. Well, Mokuba is over at a friend's house for the weekend, and now he wants to take up my free time. Perhaps I should not have banned his cheerleaders. What am I thinking? I must be tired – I am never wrong._

"Something else." Seto walked past Otogi, heading for the hall. Here he instructed his butler to bring his trenchcoat and the briefcase he had laid aside.

"Come on, Kaiba, take some time off." Otogi persisted.

"I am." _Duel monsters is my hobby for a reason._

"Great! You know, there's this…"but Seto didn't let him finish.

"Alone."

Otogi leaned back casually against a nearby pillar, crossing his arms. "Fine, Kaiba, if you don't want to socialize, then don't. But like it or not, I am your guest. What am I supposed to do?"

Seto looked at Otogi, considering the question.

_This is the only advice I will ever give you, so you'd better listen._

"Do some work."

Otogi sighed, and uncrossed his arms. "Not everybody is like you, Kaiba."

Seto turned away, putting on the deep blue trenchcoat.

_A fact I am very well aware of. There is no logical reason why they should not be. _Seto analysed the implications. _But better for business that they aren't. Not that I couldn't outsmart them regardless._

Otogi probably thought that his statement deserved expansion. That, or he didn't want to abandon the point of this exercise.

"There are places we have to go, sights we have to see."

Seto looked out into the front yard – the reporters were still at the gate.

_Let's give them places to go._

"Take the car."

"Well it's no fun going by myself."

Seto turned, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

Otogi shrugged, unfazed. "Well, there are those girls from school, but that really isn't much fun. They crowd you, constantly talk about themselves…"

Seto had to agree that Otogi was right on that count.

"… Now that I think about it, there is this one guy I'm on speaking terms with. I sit next to him in class, Ryou Bakura, but I don't know his number or anything." Otogi looked thoughtful.

_Looks like we'll be here for a while._

* * *

Ryou Bakura was lounging in bed, that was the only word for it, lounging. 

He had had a horrible week. He'd been dumped, assaulted by an insane guy that decided to stalk him from inside his head and missed his… Bakura, like crazy.

He groaned when the doorbell rang, climbed out of bed and opened the door in his silk green pyjamas.

It was a delivery man. "You Ryou Bakura?"

Ryou nodded.

"Home alone?"

Ryou nodded again.

"First thing, kid, always check who it is and second, never admit you're alone in the flat."

Ryou took the clipboard and signed, bowing with a thankyou and took the brown box.

The delivery man shook his head, smiling. "Might save your life someday, kid – your parents should've taught you that, along with all those manners." He turned and left.

Ryou took the box, and minding he locked the door, put it on the kitchen table. Just as he was about to open it, the phone rang.

He dropped the knife and went to answer it, wondering why he was suddenly so popular.

"Um, hello?"

"Can I speak to Ryou Bakura, please?" An unfamiliar boy's voice said politely.

"Speaking."

"Oh, sorry Ryou, I didn't recognise your voice over the phone. It's Otogi. I got your number from the class register, it took some hacking, but Kaiba's got great software. Listen. You're the only guy my age in town that I know besides Kaiba, and you know how he can be so… there's a museum exhibition in town this month all about Ancient Egypt. I wanted to check it out today. You up for it?"

Ryou nodded. "I had been planning to see it for a while. They say that the woman hosting it comes from an Ancient Egyptian bloodline and that some of the exhibits have been in her family's keeping for many a decade."

"So that's a yes?"

Ryou smiled. "That is a yes."

"Great. I've got Kaiba's car and driver for the day, so I'll come right over and we can head out."

"Do you need directions?"

"The register had your address. See you in a few."

"Until then."

Ryou replaced the receiver, glanced at his parcel and went to get changed. He picked out some very faded light blue jeans that were a bit snug, one of his school shirts and a never worn light blue coat with a furry collar, sleeves and borders. It had white wooden pegs for buttons, and he hadn't bought it.

Ryou felt a bit weird in the unfamiliar clothes, but it had been ages since the last time he was in such a good mood.

He walked over to the parcel and picked up the knife, proceeding to slash through the masking tape on the box.

Once he had it open, his heart rate increased as he faced little white foam balls.

He dipped his hands in and soon felt the familiar cold metal.

Knowing it was silly, he still closed his eyes as he pulled it out. The gold glinted on his eyelids, and opening them, he felt instant joy at beholding the Senn Ring!

Ryou slipped it around his neck, feeling uncomfortable as he remembered Malik reassuring him that the item was not lost forever.

_I didn't notice then how much I missed my ring - it wasn't like me to snap at him. I wish he would leave me be; he makes things too complicated, but I really ought to apologise for being rude._

Ryou did not want to investigate why the word complicated elicited feelings, that while uncomfortable, were mostly fuzzy, so he picked up the phone, and then remembered that he didn't have Malik's number…

…Bakura grinned like the Cheshire cat at the phone, proceeding to give the same treatment to every object in plain sight. Nothing had changed but everything looked so much better!

He took a deep breath and felt familiar lungs, stretched, and felt familiar, specially trained, agile muscles.

_Honey, I'm home!_

His grin widened to as much as was humanly possible, straining to be wider still, as he looked at the phone handset in his hand and a thought occurred to him. It was warm and fuzzy and charged with static electricity.

* * *

Malik Ishtar yawned as he opened the door of his apartment at the crack of dawn, half asleep, wearing only a pair of soft, fluffy, light blue boxers with cute sheep on them, that Ryou had given him. They still smelt of Ryou. 

Malik and Ryou were about the same size, so Malik guessed that Ryou's other self had tried them on in the shop. For some reason, Malik found that wearing them was comforting.

All remnants of sleep abruptly left him as he was confronted by a tall, muscular, stone faced man, his face the only thing showing he was dark skinned, the rest being covered in a dark blue hooded trench coat complete with black gloves and boots.

The man scrutinised Malik, while Malik waited for his brother to speak first, having learnt that the downside of having memory gaps was not knowing whether you upset people the last time you saw them.

_Admittedly this mainly happened when that Namu guy angered Ishizu, then left me to face my Senn Necklace wielding, older sister. But better safe than sorry._

Even so, Malik couldn't help grinning with the pure joy of seeing someone from his childhood after being on his own in a foreign country.

His examination seemingly finished, Rashid's face relaxed into a smirk only Malik ever saw. "Cute shorts."

Malik laughed, stepped into the hallway and jumped up to hug Rashid, letting the man take all of his bodyweight. "Big brother! How did you find me?"

Malik could feel Rashid chuckle as he stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. He proceeded to explain in his deep, voice. "I took an oath to be your protector; there is some magic in that. So, once the town was known, it was simply down to finding all the Ishtars in the phone book and going the way my feet wanted."

Getting set back down onto the floor by Rashid, who continued to inspect the apartment, Malik enquired, "But how did you…"

"Shadi found out the city, and we came with Ishizu." Rashid interrupted, suddenly serious, as he returned to face Malik…

…Marik's eyes narrowed and his grin had too many teeth. "How?"

Rashid bowed. "Master Marik, I think Malik should be told, Ishizu means to find a champion to fight you."

Marik cocked his head to the side, eyes amused. "And you think I will lose. Yes, I suppose dear sister is a seer, and she wouldn't do this without knowing for sure I will. But you know that apart from perhaps a bruised ego, this will not hurt me."

Rashid straightened, a worried frown on his face. "Master, if this way doesn't work, they will keep trying until one does."

Marik turned to look out of the window. "So sudden death by relatives." He laughed bitterly. "With a family like this Malik should have been born the pharaoh."

Just then the phone rang. Marik stared at it as his thoughts raced.

_There are three issues to address. Should Malik be told why his sister has travelled so far to find him? Do I prepare for an imminent departure that Rashid seems to think necessary? Is there a way I can turn this to my advantage?_

If Shadi decided to confiscate the Millenium Item from Malik, the answer to all three had to be yes. Malik needed to know, so he could deal with his sister's recriminations, without Rashid's prompting. Rashid had to stay on the sidelines so the Rare Hunters could still operate. He could be trusted with instructions on the running of things. There was the special case of Jounochi to hand over, and if Bakura did not return soon, he would not be able to keep his word about Ryou.

The ringing got too irritating to stand, and Marik snatched up the phone angrily.

"Yes?"

* * *

Yugi looked over at Anzu, who pulled out a pamphlet. "So where are we going?" 

Anzu smiled, showing the pamphlet, which was covered with what looked like Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. "There is an exhibit on this month run by a woman from Egypt. It's all about Ancient Egypt. I've wanted to see it for a while."

Jounochi looked crestfallen. "Oh man! An excursion? It's like school on the weekend!"

Yugi smiled at him. "My grandpa says that Duel Monsters originated in Ancient Egypt."

Malik nodded. "It was a game played by the highest of nobility, for very big stakes. Their matches would go on for days."

Jounochi grinned. "Then what are we waitin' for? Last one to the museum's gotta buy lunch!" And he took off.

"Hey!" said Honda, following.

Yugi shook his head, as Anzu walked past him, holding Serenity by the arm, and telling her about the events of the past couple of weeks.

Malik followed, grinning, and Yugi fell in step with him.

"What is it?" Yugi enquired, curious.

Malik squinted into the distance, "I was just thinking that my sister has a lot of museum grade artefacts in her possession, that's all."

Yugi nodded, knowing that this was a tender subject, he looked at his feet. "You don't have to come."

He looked up just in time to catch Malik's surprise, as it was swallowed by a smile. "Life is mad Yugi, but sometimes it has a point. Ra knows I will have to face Ishizu sooner or later. I would rather have it on my terms, with the support of my friends"

Yugi returned the smile. "We're always behind you."

Malik grinned. "Jounochi behind me? What an unnerving thought."

* * *

Seto was watching Otogi, as the only mobile object in the room, so he didn't miss the moment of revelation. 

"I know! Can I borrow that computer of yours?"

Seto smirked, crossing his arms. "No."

Otogi nodded, straightened and left.

Seto motioned for a servant to follow Otogi, while he checked the contents of the briefcase. He was not leaving anything up to fate today. Under the coat he was dressed all in black, matching his mood to a tee.

_What a waste of time. But it is worth it if it gets the reporters off my back today. I sill have to go to the museum to meet with this mysterious Ishizu who said she knew something that would be to my advantage. It had better be important._

Seto had set the day aside for this. As it was, it would take all the time he had to get that Blue Eyes. Meeting with mysterious people who 'knew things' about him was getting old, but he made a point of doing it personally.

_I shall not make the mistake of ignoring the trivialities. What I can control for, I will._

Prevention.

It was a word he liked for more than just its aesthetics. It had served him well in business although it was not normal business practice, perhaps because it wasn't.

The servant returned to say that Otogi was using Mokuba's computer; something he had permission for.

Seto nodded, then picked up his briefcase and went to his room, with the parting words, "Tell me when he leaves."

_A powernap, then coffee. _

It was seven a.m., a fact that had made him, in retrospect, surprised to find Otogi awake. The boy radiated an aura of someone who never got up before ten. But then he didn't seem like the sort of person to design a computer program, taking off a card game, however popular.

_Just goes to show people are never exactly who they seem to be._

* * *

Bakura turned the phone on and pressed speed dial 1. 

It took a while for anyone to pick up. When they did, the familiar voice did not sound happy.

"Yes?"

Bakura listened to the boy on the other end breathe for a bit, then not trying to stop the happiness bubbling up inside from bursting out, laughed, loud and long, saturated by the moment.

The boy on the other end didn't speak until he'd finished.

"I haven't heard you laugh like that in a while." Marik whispered.

Bakura was a little put off by the reply, as he rarely knew Marik to miss the opportunity to laugh like a madman. It was personal – a plus – but it was not emotional enough, and he felt cheated, especially remembering the circumstances and content of their last conversation.

Then practicality moved in. _He didn't say my name, he must have company._

Practicality was forcibly evicted. "Thankyou, Marik, yes, I'm happy I'm not dead too." He said, words dripping with derision.

The effect was a little spoilt on his end by the fact that he couldn't make himself believe he was angry. He was hearing Marik's voice, having successfully performed a tricky, dangerous operation, beyond all expectations, thanks only to his skill. This was enough to make him unable to stop grinning, besides he was home alone, with nobody to see it, and he did not have Marik's happy knack of switching a happy grin into an angry one at will.

"Anubis! I don't need this right now. You wouldn't believe…" Marik responded with frustration, cut off by somebody in the room with him. "…No, Rashid, just the motorbike shop…" He said, by way of explanation both for Bakura and Rashid.

_Rashid, eh? Then that Shadi must be close to Malik's family._

This added to Bakura's sense of injured pride, and made his grin fade. Most pertinent of all, he felt a rare stab of guilt at giving up Malik's whereabouts.

_I'd brought this homecoming on myself really, well myself, and Marik._

"… Make it short." Marik's voice finished, in a softer tone than that which normally accompanied these words.

Bakura smirked, and thought of a viable reason for his call. "How much do I owe you for babysitting?" he asked casually.

There was a pause.

Marik sounded surprised as he replied, "Forget about it."

This reply was so unexpected, it sent Bakura reeling. It was like stepping into the shallow end of a cold pool, only to find out it was the deep end instead.

_Wow. He's in really deep if he let me slide without a hefty fee._

He said as much. "I always thought I would only hear you refuse a debt when you reached Amenti."

Marik's laughter sounded acidic. "I'm there."

It was painful to hear. "Well, if things are that bad, I'll pay you back in kind." said Bakura lightly, a worried light in his red eyes.

"I hadn't thought of that." Came the surprised reply. "Ta."

The doorbell rang. "Well… I'll see you when I see you if I see you." He said, turning to look quizzically at the door.

"Thanks for your concern. It's kind of you to wish me well." Marik laughed and hung up.

Bakura put the handset back absently and went to answer the door, rifling through Ryou's memories as he did so. He didn't feel like leaving the body for a while.

Bakura opened the door and experienced the indescribable sensation of coming face to face with a person he had never actually seen before, but who he had memories of going to school with.

"Hi Ryou."

"Otogi." Ryou's memory supplied as his senses rebelled at the impossibility of it all.

The boy's long black hair was tied back in a ponytail as usual, matching his worn black jeans. He wore a green sleeveless t-shirt which was covered in delicate black Chinese characters. The only allowance he head made for the weather was a light black denim jacket he held in one hand.

Bakura remembered his eyes. "Hang on." He said, and grabbing the box the Senn Ring had come in, disappeared into the bedroom.

"Do come in." he said loudly to Otogi, remembering Ryou's politeness. "I'll just be a moment."

Bakura heard the door close, footsteps, and a cupboard in the kitchen open, as he rifled through the box.

He felt what he needed at the bottom and pulled out several sets of contact lenses.

_Ah, the wonders of modern technology._

He looked down at his clothes, nodded appreciatively, surprised at Ryou's taste and picked out a blue pair.

Bakura went to the bathroom to put them in and heard the teapot boiling in the kitchen.

"You've got good coffee." Came Otogi's relaxed voice.

Bakura smirked as he looked at his now forget-me-not blue eyes. It would normally be extremely annoying to have anyone go through his things, but today, Bakura felt reckless.

_This guy may prove to be an interesting test of my abilities._

As he walked back into the kitchen, Bakura smelt the unmistakeable aroma of hot coffee. "Help yourself." He said quietly, walking in as Otogi turned.

"Thanks." The boy leaned back against the cupboard, mug in hand, perfectly at ease.

He gestured at another steaming mug standing near the electric teapot.

Bakura took the offered cup. "You are going to get very cold." He blew on the black liquid.

Otogi shrugged, sipping coffee. "I didn't know if you wanted anything in it."

Bakura topped the cup with cold water from the sink near Otogi, and then gracefully drank half of its contents.

"Black is just fine." He said to the cup, Otogi, unfazed standing close enough to his left that if he turned to look at the boy, he'd be invading personal space.

Bakura finished his coffee and rinsed his cup in the sink, then walked over to the front door. He looked back at Otogi.

The other boy finished his coffee, rinsed his cup following Bakura's example and smiling, strolled up to the door.

"Nice place, is it yours?"

Bakura smiled, imitating Ryou. "Most of the time. My father is on a dig in Egypt." He then opened the door and walked out.

Otogi followed, waiting as Bakura locked the door. "Cool. Is he an archaeologist?"

After searching Ryou's memory for a moment, "Yes."

They talked as they walked down the stairs to the front entrance of the building, voices echoing.

"Have you ever gone on a dig with him?"

Pause.

"Yes. He only let me come if my mother could be there to 'look after' me."

"So where is she now?"

Pause.

"She died when I was nine."

Pause.

"Oh… I'm sorry."

Pause.

"So what was the dig like, if you don't mind talking about it?"

"I do not mind. Which one?"

"Did you ever go to Egypt?"

Pause.

"Yes, once. That was the last one I went on. It was then that my father became obsessed with Egyptology."

"What was it like?"

Pause.

"Well, the first thing that makes a strong impression on you is the dust…"

* * *

Marik heard the caller breathe, then laugh. 

In sudden recognition, one of the many items on today's to do list fell away. More relief than could be accounted for flowed through Marik, so much in fact that he had to turn his back on Rashid, so the man wouldn't see the contagious smile spreading on his lips.

"I haven't heard you laugh like that in a while." Marik whispered as soon as the boy had finished.

"Thankyou, Marik, yes, I'm happy I'm not dead too." Bakura replied with derision.

_Oh great, now he's angry at me because I could not greet him properly!_

"Anubis! I don't need this right now. You wouldn't believe…" Marik automatically responded, cut off by Rashid.

"Is everything all right Master? Has Ishizu located you?"

"…No, Rashid, just the motorbike shop…" Marik replied into the phone, trying to convey to Bakura, the impossibility of having an in depth conversation just at the moment.

"May I suggest that that can wait?"

Marik shook his head, smiling as he covered the phone. "If I am going away for a while, I must set my affairs in order."

Rashid nodded, but it looked like he did not think motorbikes were as important as running a secret organization to take over the world.

"… Make it short." Marik said softly to Bakura, to show that he really could not talk right now.

"How much do I owe you for babysitting?" Bakura asked casually.

Marik was surprised by the change in mood and seemingly random question, and a thought occurred to him.

_There is a way to use this. Sister thinks that by beating me, I will leave, so making Shadi take away the Senn Item at the same time will give me a good smokescreen. _

_They wouldn't be able to tell exactly what made me go away._

_The combined effect of Malik's belief in his destined ownership of the item and Ishizu's persuading Shadi that she was right and beating me had destroyed me forever, should pave the way nicely for my return._

"Forget about it." Was all he could think to reply.

Bakura, as always did not let detail pass. "I always thought I would only hear you refuse a debt when you reached Amenti."

Marik's laughter was acidic. _Between dear sister and the look Rashid is giving me, _"I'm there."

"Well, if things are that bad, I'll pay you back in kind." said Bakura lightly.

"I hadn't thought of that." Marik said, surprised at his own lack of attention to their usual dance when Ishizu loomed on the horizon. "Ta."

He could hear a doorbell ring on the other end. "Well… I'll see you when I see you if I see you." Came the offhand goodbye.

"Thanks for your concern. It's kind of you to wish me well." Marik laughed at Bakura's hypocrisy and hung up.

He turned to Rashid, a plan decided. "Tell him."…


	9. Hypocrisy

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch9: Hypocrisy.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

* * *

**The Daydream**

Malik was walking along with Yugi and the gang on their way to the museum.

Marik, meanwhile was sitting in his soul room – the only private place he had in Malik's body. The décor had a tendency to shift with Marik's mood, the only constant being the hint of danger and monsters in every shadow.

Right now, he was lying back on a storm cloud, while below him, a thunderstorm raged over unseen lands. The air was crisp with residual electricity. Here and there, lightning played, arching from the clouds above to those around Marik.

He had observed the scenery, once tuning in to Malik's senses had gotten boring. He had then experimented with making it rain, but even though the water was warm, it had been annoying to have it fall onto his face for any length of time.

It was these times that Marik did not enjoy in his life – the pointless whiling away of perfectly good time before a plan could be put into action. It was all up to him, and though the thought was unnerving, it was far better than having to openly rely on others. Using them, was what Marik preferred.

_I had better think of something to do before I start going sane._

Marik smirked, and staring into the sky, set an alarm to warn him when Malik bumped into his sister. There was something he had been meaning to do.

Marik closed his eyes, and found the small part in his soul where he kept a perfect representation of Bakura. The boy floated in nothingness, eyes closed, dressed in hemp rags.

Marik reached out and touched the boy's chest, activating the simulation. Suddenly, the boy reached out and put his arms around Marik, pressing the boy to himself. Bakura's scent radiated around him, and Marik relaxed, closing his eyes, feeling something pull his spirit forward.

_Clever of Bakura to tag my Senn Rod with his spirit; I cannot remove the tag without destroying the Rod. Well if he doesn't believe in privacy, he cannot mind me paying him a visit. The tag I put in Ryou's soul room should still be there._

Marik was proved right as he opened his eyes, and found himself in a small grey room, bare of everything but a steel table with chair, shelf of books, and grey bed on the floor in the corner. The books were covered in dust but well worn from use.

Marik smirked as he read the labels.

"Hobbies, Favourite Daydreams, Things I Want (volume 1 – To Have, volume 2 – To Do, volume 3 – To Be) When I Grow Up, Likes and Dislikes, Treasured Memories, Workbook of Plans."

He shook his head, and walked forward to the door, opened it and stepped into the hallway. There was no telling where the hallway went as both sides were soon lost in the distance.

Marik opened the door he was faced with, which was identical to that which he then closed.

_Hmm, it seems neither Bakura nor Ryou are home. What is that thief up to?_

There was no way of telling what this body was doing, because Marik did not have his Millennium Rod here and was merely an uninvited guest in this body. He would have to walk to consciousness to receive the sensory input and he did not know how, so he just stepped into the room and closed the door.

This room was also grey, but large and luxurious. Everything seemed to be covered in fur. The carpet was thick, the couches looked comfortable enough to sleep on. There were no chairs, only mahogany and oak desks which seemed to grow out of the floor. There were thick curtains, and the room would have been dark but for the enormous fireplace.

Marik peeked past the curtains and saw a mirror image room behind the glass. Either that, or this was a mirror and he did not have a reflection. As far as he could tell, there was no obvious way from this room to that one. In fact he could see no way out of this room save the door he came from.

He smirked as he let the curtain fall back into place and a quote came unbidden into his mind.

""The time has come", the Walrus said, "To talk of many things; of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, of cabbages and kings, and why the sea is boiling hot and whether fish have wings.""

"Alice Through the Looking Glass, if I'm not mistaken. I didn't know you'd read it." Said a smirking voice behind him.

Marik felt a shiver run down his spine, his heart rate increased, and his cheeks felt warm. He turned slowly to see Bakura close the door of the soul room behind himself, never taking his eyes off Marik's face.

Marik used the warmth as an excuse to change his generic Rare Hunter outfit into grey cargo pants, with the only accessories being his gold jewellery.

"I would have knocked but when I came there was nobody home." His deep blue eyes glittered, reflecting in Bakura's shimmering red as the other boy stalked forward, stopping a meter from Marik.

Bakura's light blue jeans and white shirt stood out against the greyness. A discarded light blue furry coat lay on a couch that had not been there when Marik had come in.

"No matter how much you try, you'll never blend in lordling." Bakura commented, his voice like a panther stalking its prey, warm and ready to strike. "How did you get here?" He was being defensive and angry, but he saw the invasion as an abuse of power by Marik.

Marik couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips and stepped forward into Bakura's personal space, daring the boy to attack. "Hypocrisy seems to be the order of the day, thief. I made this path when I was watching your pet."

Bakura did not step back, and he was now just out of arms reach, a smirk playing on his lips, one hand conspicuously behind his back. Marik realised it must have been like that since he walked in.

Then a thought occurred to Marik and he made an 'I am thinking a deep thought' pose. "It isn't as clever as tagging my item but I think tagging the soul room in this body should have a nigh permanent effect, at least for this lifetime."

Bakura's hand came out from behind his back, to rest at his side. It was holding a long, vicious looking dagger.

"State your business, Marik." He stared into Marik's eyes, any traces of humour gone. The other boy had Bakura's admission in hand, and his troubles were Bakura's doing. The first gave Bakura an unbearable urge to hurt Marik until, he would admit he felt the same. The second not only made this impossible, but made Bakura want to protect Marik at all cost until the debt was repaid.

Marik was thinking. _He doesn't want to secede this point. Why so stubborn, so grumpy today? Oh!_

Marik suddenly remembered Bakura's words before his little trip, and a Cheshire cat grin erupted on his face.

_Oh, he's almost lost the round entirely, he's grasping at straws. This is going to be gooood._

"What took both you and Ryou out of your soul rooms today?" He asked amiably.

_When all else fails, resort to trivialities._

Bakura glared at him suspiciously, but deigned to answer, crossing his arms. "I had a little trip in the body but museums have turned out to be boring so I got Ryou to take over. I watched for a while but that's not my style so..."

Marik got his grin to relax to an open smile. "What happened to making fun of the archaeologists?"

Bakura returned the smile with a wicked one, which meant he had a card to play. "Oh, I couldn't very well do that in front of Otogi."

Marik felt a stab of possessiveness, and knowing that it was what Bakura had intended, his eyes flashed angrily and his laugh was bitter. "A friend?"

"Ryou's." Bakura nodded, offhandedly, face calm and confident, while a pang berated him for giving in to the urge.

_At least I gained some ground back, maybe enough to stand on, if I'm lucky._

Marik berated himself for losing a point. But then he thought back to the comment about not being able to talk in front of Otogi. This meant in effect that Bakura couldn't be himself in front of anyone but Marik.

Marik felt appeased, and though Bakura's position had improved, he was still compromised and the advantage Marik had was not lost yet. His anger instantly disappeared, and a wicked smile was back, as he stepped up until he was almost touching Bakura.

"But I didn't answer your question. I'm going away for a bit, following your example really, and we couldn't talk on the phone so, why did you call me?" He said, knowing full well that the first instinct either of them would have when coming back from a tricky outing would be to check the other was alright.

Bakura's arms were still crossed and the dagger stopped Marik from leaning forward to rest on him. The boy's face was blank, indicating that the bull's eye was hit. But Bakura salvaged a decent reply from the wreckage.

"To ask what I owed you for the babysitting, as I said."

It was time to move in for the kill. Marik pulled the dagger by the blade, so that if Bakura protested, Marik would have an open artery. The dagger gave way and Marik threw it aside, its fall unheard due to the thick carpet. A wicked smirk played on his lips as he put his hands on Bakura's crossed arms, effectively trapping them. He leaned to whisper in Bakura's ear, the white hair soft as feathers on Marik's face.

"And what you said before you left had nothing to do with it at all." Marik's heart beat painfully as he said it, playing for keeps, for the round. He pulled back to assess the reaction, as Bakura shivered despite himself.

The other boy's red eyes glittered angrily, and he glared, fighting back, even in defeat. It would be easy to lie, but Marik was betting everything that Bakura wouldn't – it would mean breaking the rules of their eternal dance and thus breaking up.

_If he wants to break up, then there is no way I can keep him._ The thought was painful but Marik had always believed in freedom. It was what he wanted most of all, what the thief embodied.

Bakura was contemplating the dead end. _Looks like I lucked out today._ He had no intention of breaking up with the boy. The lordling embodied controlled use of power – amazing power that he didn't seem to be aware of. It was what Bakura aspired to. Besides, the other boy was leaving soon, so there would be a small break in between rounds.

Bakura smirked. "Yes and no. I will make sure no harm befalls Malik, even if I have to kill for it." As a rule, he abhorred bloodshed, so it was as good as yielding.

Marik's heart was warm and in pain simultaneously, as his eyes sparkled, reflecting in Bakura's. He smirked, and leaned forward to kiss Bakura softly at first, then stronger as he uncrossed the boy's arms and bit his lip.

Bakura let out a soft moan of pain, and Marik smiled into the red eyes, pointing to the shirt. "Off."

Bakura looked down, then gestured and the shirt evaporated. Marik proceeded to explore the boy's chest with his hands as he leaned Bakura's head forward onto his shoulder so he could feel and smell what he considered the softest hair on this earth.

His hands felt lower to the jeans and he heard Bakura let out a ghost of a moan. As he pushed Bakura onto a convenient couch, Marik purred in the boy's ear, as the winner, he was free to now say anything he pleased. "You are mine thief. Now and for all eternity, because that is what I want. When Ra made you, he burned my name into your delicate bones."

He pulled the jeans down and they vanished, along with his cargo pants. "The blood in your veins is mine to shed, and I'm afraid I am going to make you a beggar tonight, you are going to scream your request. You, thief who are so used to taking anything that catches your eye."

Marik just moved his hands, and Bakura squirmed, struggling under them, unable to do a thing. "And what beautiful eyes they are. They are possibly the best thing that I own. Oh, don't bite your lip child, let me hear your pretty voice…"

**The Daydream**

* * *

Yugi Moto felt very much alone on the trip to the museum. 

Malik seemed to cheer up dramatically for no apparent reason, but then he was Malik, so that was allright. He soon started a heated argument with Honda on whether they should petition their manager to get a better staff room.

Honda inserted a comment here and there about the disposition of the other people working at the arcade, but Malik seemed to be making a great argument for both sides.

Jounochi had decided to describe the scenery they were passing to Serenity in minute detail, complete with personal comments. Meanwhile, Anzu had decided to tell Yugi about how great the exhibit was going to be.

He supposed it was the lack of the comforting weight of the puzzle that bothered him most. Before, he always played with it when he had nothing better to do. Going to an exhibition of Ancient Egypt made the loss more prominent in his mind.

He nodded at another comment Anzu made about the museum and said it sounded great.

_I guess on the upside, I won't get lost when we get there._

* * *

Seto Kaiba got to the museum before it had opened. 

He had Ludo drive him, and despite or perhaps because Otogi seemed to be taking his sweet time about launching his game, Ludo was more than happy to do it.

_More like ecstatic. I don't think I'd ever seen the man smile with his eyes before. _

Seto could see why Ludo didn't do it very often. It made him look soft, and with his huge frame and military crew-cut, it made him look ridiculous.

_Well, let us get this over with. _

Since there did not seem to be anybody around, Seto walked up the front steps and knocked.

His arrival must have been anticipated, for as soon as his hand left the door, it was opened by a young woman in a Chinese silk robe.

She looked exotic, with dark skin, straight long black hair and big blue eyes with long lashes. Looking at her gave the impression that she was just short of being beautiful – the expression in her eyes was a little too strong, too insightful.

"Seto Kaiba, I must apologise for my appearance. I have yet to change out of the garments I sleep in. Do come in, we have much to talk about." Her voice had a slight accent and as she gestured into the hall, Seto noticed a light scent of spices.

Seto smirked. "Here's fine." _A prostitute in a museum, kinky._

The woman just nodded and leaned on the door. "I am Ishizu Ishtar. I have called you here so that you may learn of your destiny."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "I see."

Ishizu shivered. "Are you sure you will not come in? This may take some time."

_You wish. What is the going rate per hour these days? _"I have no time."

Ishizu raised an eyebrow. "Even for something as important as your destiny?"

"Get to the point."

Ishizu's eyes widened in surprise at the harsh command. "I need your help."

"I'm not a charity."

Ishizu smiled. "How would you like a card more powerful than any you have in your possession?"

"What card?"

"Obelisk the Tormentor, an Egyptian god card. One of three god cards – the most powerful creatures in the game."

"What's the catch?"

"My little brother has the other two, he will duel anyone for this card. He is… He needs to be taught that his feet do not belong on this path. He needs to be beaten. I do not duel, and if I did… I need someone strong enough to defeat two God cards."

"And it's my destiny to arbitrate a family feud?"

"It… It must be, for you are one of the few who can do it."

"I doubt that." He looked at his watch. "Now I am late. For future reference, I do not beat up little brothers." Seto said coldly. "Not for a card I've never heard of."

As he turned to leave, Ishizu called out; "And destiny?"

"I make my own." He replied over his shoulder as he left.

* * *

Ryou Bakura and Otogi made their way through the exhibits. 

There were many other people there; some serious, quietly shuffling past, others on a day off with their screaming bored kids.

For the most part it had been fun. Ryou was doing the serious history tourist guide bit, and Otogi spent a lot of his time making biting remarks about anything and everything.

However the bulk of their time was spent trying to dodge the security guards because Otogi insisted that you needed to use all five senses to get the full experience. Touching the artefacts, Ryou couldn't help but agree with, even though they had to be preserved for future generations. As Otogi had succinctly put it, neither of them was planning that far ahead yet.

The thing that had caused the most trouble, however was the tasting. It was something that both horrified and amused Ryou and made them both the most interesting exhibit in the museum for the roaming children, who could often help in distracting security.

They had finally decided to quietly make their escape, when Ryou recognised some of the new arrivals in the entrance hall.

It was Yugi and his group of friends. They seemed to have a new addition – a long haired girl. But most pertinently, they almost always came with Malik. Ryou felt he had been avoiding the boy since after the tournament, although technically, both of them would have to make an effort to 'bump into each other' at school.

_It isn't like we have ever been friends. We seem to have similar interests; we just hang out in different circles._

Ryou remembered that he owed Malik an apology for the way he acted before and made his way over to the group quietly.

As he approached, he noticed the writing on Malik's deep blue t-shirt spelt out 'Angel' in gold. With the strange jewellery, it made a perfect picture, believable except that something in his eyes belied his happy smile.

Otogi followed Ryou's lead, only glancing at him once, relaxed as always.

* * *

Malik Ishtar noticed a familiar white haired figure making its way through the crowd towards him. 

The presence of the boy Otogi, made what otherwise would have been happy nervousness, feel more like slight irritation.

When the two had reached them, Ryou bowed.

"Hello, everybody. You have not met Otogi, I believe."

Otogi nodded at the group, smiling as Yugi replied with "Hello Ryou, pleased to meet you Otogi. This is Jounochi's sister, Serenity." and the pretty girl with bandaged eyes greeted both of them in a very sweet voice even though she could have no idea where they were standing.

"Pleasure is all mine. You're Yugi Moto, the boy who beat Seto Kaiba, right?"

Malik turned to the light blue furry coated Ryou as the boy pulled on his sleeve, and all remnants of irritation vanished. _Cute outfit. Are those blue contacts?_

"Excuse me, Malik, can I talk to you?"

"Mmm." Malik replied, still feeling the other boy's hand on his sleeve, scared that if he said anything this pleasant atmosphere would turn sour as it had done every time they met so far.

He let Ryou pull him aside, and smiled. It was then that Ryou seemed to realize what he had been doing. He blushed and dropped Malik's sleeve. _Anubis take me, not again!_

"I apologise for my behaviour. " He said, bowing. Then he smiled politely. "Both for just now and earlier at school on Monday. I am afraid I keep doing it."

Malik smiled, feeling sorry that Ryou felt it necessary to apologise and still seemed to be awkward around him. He noted before that this was not the case around Otogi. And with that, came one of many stabs of jealousy he had experienced this week.

"Doing what? You have nothing to apologise for." He shook his head replying.

Ryou's eyes widened. "I took my worries out on you Monday, something I have no right to do, and just now I assumed that you did not mind me in your personal space, though you have every right to."

Malik smirked. "If I remember correctly, Namu, a part of me, roughed you up on Monday, so as they say here, 'an eye for an eye, a knife for a knife, a friend for a friend, a life for a life.'"

Ryou smiled the first full, real smile Malik had ever seen on his face. It made him look different; older, stronger and perhaps a little feline. "I believe it's just 'an eye for an eye.'"

Malik nodded, grinning. "See? I even butcher your language. No wonder you were upset."

Ryou shook his head, smile widening. _I'm on a roll._

"And about the personal space, I mean, the time we bumped into each other at your apartment should make that concern completely irrelevant I feel."

Ryou blushed, and looked down.

_Did I just say that? Damn. Evidently the gods just decided that I had spent enough time today deluding myself that I can fit seamlessly into society. And my sister has come to kill me for dishonouring the family although I did not do it._

The memory of what Rashid said, made Malik smirk painfully and look in the direction of the exhibits, where an exotic woman in cloth robes stood talking to Yugi, alongside two men, one of them in a turban.

He had taken two of the God cards he was sworn to protect. He had tried to take the third. He had forgotten his duty as tomb keeper and the only carrier of the secret of the pharaoh. He had fled the country and deserted his family. He had killed his father.

Malik snapped out of his revere when he felt a warm hand on his sleeve. He looked over to see Ryou's concerned face.

"Your sister is the director of this exhibition, is she not?"

Malik couldn't tell if this was meant to cheer him up or if it meant Ryou knew he did not want to see his sister.

He grinned, madly and it made him feel a little better, that, and Ryou's concern. "Yeah, and there'll be hell to pay as soon as she finds me."

Ryou smirked humourlessly looking down. "I was trying to take your mind off things. From when I started, it seems I keep doing things I need to apologise to you for." Their eyes met. "I am sorry about bringing it up. It isn't my business."

Malik sighed. "I think we're both as good as each other. Only I do it not just to you but to everybody now and then to a lesser extent." Then he thought of something and smiled happily. "Don't apologise to me. Ever. I live on a policy of no regrets."

_I can't believe it slipped my mind. This makes the whole family dishonour thing ok. I'll take what's coming – it's life and I wouldn't have it any other way._

Ryou seemed to be a little stunned, as he considered something. "Not ever?" He looked at Malik.

Malik grinned. "Never, ever."

Ryou cocked his head to the side. "It must be hard to keep friends."

Malik smiled. "It never ceases to surprise me, but I do ok."

_Gods, it's like we're children again. Ishizu must have noticed me, I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Well, childish problems require childish solutions._

"Listen, Ryou, do you want to be my friend?"

Ryou seemed a little taken aback but soon a second real smile grew on his face. It took a visible effort to beat it down. "Is that a question or an invitation?"

Malik grinned "Definitely an invitation. I believe currently, it's even valid for our entire group."

The smile was released. "Then I accept. I will have to wait and see about the group though."

Malik nodded. "Fair enough, your call." He turned to observe his sister making her way towards them, the hall now empty of strangers. "And here comes my darling sister."

* * *

Yugi cringed. "I'm afraid that that is all people remember me for." 

Otogi laughed. "Hey, it's claim to fame and it'll only stick if that's the best highlight of your duelling career."

Jounochi frowned. "Yeah, beatin' that creep is gonna be hard to beat Yugi."

Anzu smiled, shaking her head. "Not if you win the regionals."

Yugi sighed, looking at his friends. "Do you think I can?"

There followed a round of "sure Yugi".

Honda smiled. "Come on Yugi, all of us will be behind you all the way. Right Shizuka?"

Shizuka nodded smiling. "Of course Yugi. I'm sure you can do it."

Otogi laughed. "Ah! I am sorry if it disappoints you, Shizuka, but you're too sweet and kind hearted for that to count. You'd probably say your brother could win the regionals too."

Shizuka blushed at the compliment. "Of course. My big brother can do anything."

Otogi looked at the fuming Jounochi, considering seriously. "Somehow I don't think I share that opinion. Once a puppy…"

_I think I heard that insult before from someone!_

"Do you know Kaiba by any chance?"

Otogi nodded smirking at his own words. "He agreed to let me live at his house, and show me around the neighbourhood this school year because I don't know anyone in Domino."

Everyone was stunned, save Shizuka who had never met Seto Kaiba and was therefore not picturing him in the role of gracious host and tour guide.

"How do you like it?"

"Very well, Shizuka, I seem to like everything beautiful in Domino, like you I suppose. The house is practically a castle, my host's brother Mokuba and I get on like a house on fire, which incidentally…"

Just then a woman in cloth robes walked up to the group, followed by two men, one in similar cloth pants and coat, with a turban on his head. All of them had an exotic feel to them, the man in the turban with eerie blue eyes and dark skin more so than the others.

"Pharaoh, I seek your aid." The woman addressed Yugi.

Jounochi snorted. "He's no pharaoh lady. That's Yugi Moto, greatest… no, second greatest duellist in the world."

Honda rolled his eyes at Yugi and Yugi sighed, smiling at the woman. "I am sorry about my friend. How can I help you?"

Just as the woman was about to reply, the turbaned man interrupted. He touched her arm lightly with his hand, which he quickly withdrew as soon as he had her attention.

"Ishizu, why did you call him pharaoh?"

Ishizu smiled. "Because there is an ancient tablet that depicts the pharaoh in a duel with the high priest of Set. You know the one, it has been thought to show the coming of a great darkness to Ancient Egypt, and the pharaoh fulfilling the prophesy to defeat it."

The man nodded, smirking. The effect was amazing. It transformed a seemingly exotic, mysterious, serious person into just a real guy, albeit one with an extraordinarily strange life. "The one you've been feuding with your colleagues about ever since you started work."

Ishizu shook her head lightly when the man mentioned the feud. "It just doesn't feel right. The high priest wasn't evil, but the thing in the prophesy…"

She shook her head as if to get rid of the impression. "I digressed. Ah, the carving! I had a copy of it made to put in my room, and I have looked at it often. So you can believe me when I say, the pharaoh, could be this boy's twin." She considered for a moment. "If he were a little shorter."

"You've got a picture of the pharaoh in your room?" The man asked, surprised at the passing comment.

"Mmm." Ishizu seemed amused, turning to Yugi and bowing. "Excuse me, but I am used to calling your image, pharaoh."

"That's allright. I mean, you can keep doing it if you like." Yugi smiled.

_I look identical to a pharaoh? With this hair? That is very strange._

Yugi couldn't help feeling a touch proud of the similarity however.

Ishizu returned his smile. "You are certainly much nicer than he was if the records are to be believed. I am Ishizu Ishtar. The one that asked the question is Shadi, a friend. The tall dark and silent one is Rashid Ishtar, my adopted brother."

She seemed to think of something and turned to Shadi, perplexed. "Do you have a last name?"

Shadi smiled and shook his head carefully. "To my knowledge I have never had one."

_He probably doesn't want to upset his turban. It has to be hard wearing it. And how does he manage to put it on? He would make a great Duel Monster's card._

Then a thought pushed the necessity to continue with the introductions aside for a moment.

"Did you say Ishtar?" Yugi inquired.

Ishizu nodded eagerly. "Yes, do you know my brother?"

Honda smiled. "If his name is Malik Ishtar, then yeah, we do. By the by, I'm Honda."

Anzu looked concerned. "I'm Anzu. He was worried about seeing you, why? I am sorry to pry, but he is our friend."

Ishizu smiled sadly. "Your friend? Then this will be both easier and harder than I thought. But first, I must tell you, pharaoh, that I have come here to ask you to duel him, with this card."

Yugi looked at a card depicting a huge blue monster with an impressive attack rating that Ishizu handed him. He took out his deck smiling. "I can't promise I'll win, but I always try my hardest even in a friendly duel."

Ishizu smiled sadly. "But it will not be a friendly duel. I shall explain my comment earlier about it being both easier and harder than I anticipated. It will be easier because I do not have to search this area to find him. It will be harder because of what I have to say and ask you to believe. My brother, you see has a madness in him."

Jounochi blushed for no apparent reason, and smiled. "Jounochi here. Ya know, give the guy a break! He is a bit weird, but who ain't these days?"

Ishizu shook her head, looking imploringly at Yugi. "Surely you must see he is far beyond normal. He has the burden of the family on his shoulders. Among other things, he is protector of the three Egyptian God Cards, one of which you are holding. He left home, failed in his duties, in this one because he stole two of the cards before I could stop him…"

Here Yugi was surprised to hear Jounochi interrupt again, this time angrily. "If he's the guardian, then how's it stealin'?"

Shizuka nodded in agreement, speaking up for the first time in a while, her calm, reasonable voice soothing Jounochi somewhat. "Big brother is right. It makes no sense he cannot just take the cards with him and protect them wherever he is. Oh! I am Shizuka"

Jounochi nodded, as did Honda and Anzu. Yugi looked at the card in his hands and knew he was already going to duel Malik whatever the outcome. _I have to try this card out._

Ishizu was getting visibly upset now. "Oh, first Rashid gone this morning to warn him, then you defending him. Listen. He loses track of time. He denies having done things people actually saw him doing!"

Shadi put his arm around Ishizu, who was fighting back tears.

Otogi spoke up, criticising the plan and startling those who had forgotten he was there. "Otogi. So you think that duelling him with a card he used to protect will snap him out of it?"

Shadi looked up from Ishizu. "Losing the duel would. If it's to his card, it may be a big enough shock to his system to make him return to reality." He glanced at Ishizu, then back at the others. "What she hasn't told you is that he really does seem possessed by a spirit. He does not answer to his name, and speaks in grandiose terms of world domination."

Jounochi seemed uncomfortable, and Otogi pressed on. "Aren't there places for people like that?"

Shadi glanced at Rashid, than back. "We want to avoid that if at all possible. He's had it hard enough." Then he shrugged. "I could probably make it more effective by confiscating his Millennium Rod until he returns to normal."

Ishizu, having now calmed down, stepped away from Shadi. "That item is his destiny, you cannot seriously consider…"

Shadi met her gaze. "I have my own things to consider. The item is dangerous in his hands." He sighed and rubbed the place where his turban met his forehead. "Malik will get it back in due course. Let's do this before we all reconsider."

Ishizu looked at Yugi. Yugi smiled at his fiends as he added the card to his deck. "If they're right, then he needs our help. If not, it won't hurt him."

Some shook their heads, some nodded in agreement and the party moved over to where Malik was standing with Ryou. There were now no people left in the hall because it was mentioned on the pamphlet that to see the whole exhibit properly, people needed three hours and the exhibition closed in two.

Malik nodded to his sister, then he seemed to change…

…It was so subtle at first that you could hardly tell. His eyes got darker and his hair a tiny bit longer and messier, but otherwise he was the same.

Then he took a golden rod from behind his back and laughed. "Hello dear sister. Come to duel me with your champion? Just you try it. For one thing, I have no deck!"

Ryou blushed, as did Jounochi, while everyone else around Yugi drew in a startled breath at the transformation.

_Heart of the cards._

Jounochi stepped up behind Yugi, whispering to him. "This whole family's nuts. We're with ya, Yugi."

Yugi smiled at his friend. "Thanks."

Ryou tapped the maniac in front of him on his shoulder, drawing a pack of cards out of his pocket. "Um, you can use mine."

The boy recoiled from his touch, glaring daggers but taking the deck, and Ryou quickly moved out of arm's reach. "I never thought I could hate someone so much… You wet, whiny, mopy…" Then he seemed to remember he had an audience.

Ishizu stepped back and gestured for the other spectators to do the same. "This may be a bit dangerous. Pharaoh, be careful."

Yugi nodded. "I challenge you."

The boy who was no longer Malik grinned. "Well, what can I say? Bring it on tri hair. You and your friends will love it in the shadow realm. First you meddling fools, then the world! Mwhahahaha!"

Yugi saw Rashid shake his head, and cover his eyes in embarrassment. He was getting the impression that this was not the first time something like this had happened.

_If I had to guess, I'd say that Malik is just putting this act on for fun. _

As if reading his mind, Malik's grin widened, and his eyes sparkled madly as he gestured with the now glowing golden rod. "Allow me to provide the arena."

* * *

Seto was finally where he planned to be today. In front of him was the home of Yugi Moto – Yugi's grandfather's game store. 

Seto adjusted his grip on the briefcase and went in.

The old man was behind the counter when the bell rang. The entire place was cluttered in a way Seto imagined most people would find cosy and charming.

He went up to the counter and Mr Moto greeted him. Not one to waste time on pleasantries Seto got straight to the point. Besides he had to make a conference call this evening, and he was experiencing the unnerving urge to buy this entire shop just so he could impose some kind of order on it.

_How can anybody find anything in here? This place can't possibly be getting an efficient return on owner's equity._

"How much do you want for your Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

Mr Moto's smiling face became serious, as he took the card out of a locked box. "I'm sorry, this card is not for sale. I'm saving it for my grandson."

_Yugi Moto with MY dragon? I don't think so._

"Look here old man…" Seto started angrily, but he could not finish as suddenly, the man clutched at his chest in pain and keeled over!

_Well, well. Heart attack due to stress or some terminal illness?_

Seto calmly walked around the counter to him and kneeling, checked his pulse, satisfied that he took the precaution of wearing gloves.

_There's a steady beat but it's faint. Hmm, what did they teach us at school to do in this situation?_

Seto stood, looked at the desk, and took the card. After a moment's reflection, he tore it in half, effectively removing it from the game. He then placed one half in each of Mr Moto's hands.

Satisfied that it looked natural and after checking that the store showed no signs of his having been there, he stood and left.

_If I cannot have the card, then nobody else will. Plus of course, there is the bonus of having all my Blue Eyes jump in value._

Walking home he felt no pang of guilt. He had been very involved in the business of his company for some years now and sometimes firing or investigating people led to… Well, let's just say that a heart attack was one of the more pleasant outcomes.

Seto's mind went to the conference call, and then to his briefcase, with it's collection of Duel Monsters cards, which was now in effect surplus, untraceable, cash.

He smiled inwardly. _Otogi is staying a year and Mokuba is growing up. It is about time for me to get a couple of new cars with driver. Preferably identical. I'm sure I could work something out with the numberplates._

* * *

Ryou drew in a sharp breath as the duel ended, Yugi won, Shadi grabbed the Senn Rod and Malik collapsed. 

The entire duel and the lead up to it had been one glorious mess that Ryou could make no sense of at the moment. Not that he was trying very hard. One important fact stood out – Malik and he were now friends.

He then noticed that his friend was lying on the floor. His heart skipped a beat, and he made himself walk quietly and politely over to the boy.

The tall and dark robed man seemed to have the same idea and the two ended up kneeling on each side of Malik, their eyes meeting over the body.

The others could be heard in the background. Someone's phone had rung.

"Yo. Jounochi here. Oh! Mrs Moto? Yeah, he's here. Hod'ya get this number? Huh? Sure, I'll put him on. Yugi It's your mum."

"Hello? What happened? In the hospital? Of course, we'll be right there."

"What happened Yugi?"

"I don't know, Anzu but my grandfather's in hospital, in a coma, and he apparently tore up a Blue Eyes White Dragon during a seizure."

The man across from Ryou picked up the deck Malik was holding and handed it to him. "I may not be his blood, but I have made a promise to protect him when he was born; my word is not given lightly."

Ryou nodded politely, his head dull from shock. He stood and looked over at the others. The man stood as well, picking Malik up like a sleeping child.

"What?"

"Didn'tcha know he had it Honda? He showed me this one time…"

"That time that you accidentally got the locked box open?"

"Sis, it was an accident, I swear!"

"Guys, focus. Yugi, we need a car."

"I've got a car, and driver courtesy of Seto Kaiba."

"So who's comin' to the hospital?"

"Do you think your brother…"

"He will be fine pharaoh."

"Go, if he wakes, he will call you tomorrow."

"Whadda ya mean IF, Shadi?"

"Go."

The others departed, Otogi throwing a hurried 'will you be allright?' to Ryou, which he answered with a nod.

As Malik's nearest and dearest turned around, Ryou bowed, forcing away the urge to glare at them. "I am Malik's friend Ryou Bakura. Pleased to meet you."

The woman smiled, returning the bow. "I am his big sister, Ishizu, the one holding him is our oldest brother, Rashid. This is our family friend, Shadi."

A question had been plaguing Ryou for some time now, and he let it out nervously. "Are you going to take him back to Egypt?"

Ishizu said 'of course' just as Rashid replied with a strong 'no'. Wisely, Shadi decided to step aside, with a 'let me know what you decide, good night' as he left.

Looking at the two siblings, Rashid stubborn and Ishizu regally surprised, Ryou had the urge to excuse himself. He did not like confrontations, besides, it was rude to intrude, but he had to know if Rashid would keep to his word before he could leave Malik with him.

_Of course, it is also bad etiquette to leave my unconscious friend in what he considers to be the enemy camp._

Rashid stared at Ishizu, but she seemed much better at it, and simply raised an eyebrow.

"His friends were right. He can guard the Egyptian God Cards and keep the Secret of the Pharaoh wherever he is. He wanted to be free to make his own life here."

Ishizu smiled kindly. "He is tomb keeper, Rashid."

The man was unmoved. "The tomb's seal is broken, the treasures in it are gone, most of then on show here for the foreigners and their children to gawk at. The position is obsolete."

Ishizu frowned. "He carries a great burden, I know, but we can help him be strong…."

"And see that he does not fail? He must do this himself. All we can rightly request from him is that he keeps in touch and knows that he can always come to us."

"And you call himself his protector! He is my little brother Rashid!" Ishizu replied angrily.

Rashid flinched at that, but his reply was in the same matter-of-fact tone. "You have the Senn Necklace. What do you say as a seer?"

Ishizu deflated. "It seems that in looking after his burden, I forget my own. I say he must take his own path, wherever it leads, and that my last act for him was the duel."

"Perhaps that is why you care too much sister."

"Perhaps. I take it you will be staying?"

"Of course. I was remiss in letting him leave alone, but I shall work to remedy that. We must never forget what a gem a good family is." The last was said with contentment.

Ishizu smiled. "Speaking as his sister, I will be here for the duration of the exhibit. Perhaps I can bring what is left of the tomb to the keeper. Shadi can guard the Millennium Items anywhere really…"

Then they noticed that Ryou was still there. Rashid smiled at him. "You are persistent, like a good friend should be, little one. You want to see him safely home, yes?"

Ryou smiled politely, and nodded. "Yes please, if it is no trouble."

Ishizu laughed. "I should have seen you knew where he lived, Rashid."

Rashid bowed and walked out of the museum, Ryou in tow. "I will see the master home, then you, then return to his side. He has given me a space of floor to sleep on."

_Master? Space of floor? I think this family is stranger than what simple culture differences can account for._

Ryou felt a little unnerved by Rashid's decision to walk him home, but then he considered that it will be quite late and that the last time he walked home, he was attacked by strange hooded men.

_Come to think of it, they looked a bit like Rashid and though he is just one man, I certainly don't want him jumping me when we're alone… _

He shook his head. _Old habits die hard, I suppose. But I never want to go back to paranoia again._

He did make note of the similarities, which seemed to grow as he observed. But then he could not be very sure about many of them since it was hard to remember the exact details of his last encounter with the Rare Hunters, _or were they the Rare Seekers?_

_Alright, enough! I am starting to doubt my memories, which I have never had any reason to do. It is like when you read the same word over and over and it ends up making no sense whatsoever. _

Ryou resorted to doing what he always did when in doubt. Be polite. "Are you sure it is no trouble Rashid?"

Rashid smirked. "You do not trouble me little one, and the master would have my head if anything happened to you. He has never had good friends like that before."

_Well, that is good to know._

_What if he is lying?_

_And what if the world gets attacked by aliens in five minutes? Can I do something about it? Probably. Crap._

"You do not know where I live, do you?"

Rashid nodded. "I do not." Then he looked over at Ryou and smile blossomed on his face. "But when I was over at Master Malik's flat I saw a map!"

The rest of the night, was uncomfortable for Ryou, until he was safely locked in his apartment. And even then, thoughts of having one of the Rare Hunters knowing where he lived, and that he still had the card they wanted, chased him to the oblivion of sleep.

* * *

Malik was stunned as he came out of the last of many blackouts he had during the duel, to find that both he and Namu - who must have been the reason for the blackouts - lost. 

People moved around him but he could feel nothing but the reassuring weight of the Millennium Rod in his hand. Then that weight was gone, someone took the rod.

_No! My destiny!_

He felt empty, lost, he swayed on his feet. There was nothing there to support him. He saw blue eyes that should have been green… or red. Then he felt himself falling and everything was darkness…

…Marik, locked in the nothingness was deep in thought.

_It's a fact that every round usually ends with us sleeping together._

Once upon a time they had an argument. Marik had no memory of exactly when this occurred, but he remembered the occasion as if it were yesterday.

Bakura didn't yell when he argued and neither did Marik. Marik's voice was usually filled with quiet laughter, with a hint of sharp things underfoot. Bakura however, was completely serious, using facts and occurrences with biased interpretations to his advantage.

Sometimes, it was rare but it did happen, one of them would lose their temper. When this happened, Marik usually just left because it was better than having to bleed Bakura, which would inevitably happen were he to stay and feel trapped in the argument. Bakura, for his part, generally started flinging painful truths, raising his voice a little. These were facts he kept in reserve because they did not contain concrete evidence, just impressions and emotions, which were less likely to convince.

This was what had happened back then. Bakura, losing his temper when he lost a round had said;

"How can you not see that every time you win a round and I sleep with you I lose a piece of my soul?"

The point was that Bakura treasured his soul, and thought there was very little of it left due to him being a thief and plotting to get all the Senn Items. This was left unsaid, but Marik could see it rear its ugly head under the surface when he had looked back on the experience lives later.

It was strange that the thief had prescribed to some common morals but not others – Marik was more of an all or nothing persuasion. When it came to morals, it was nothing. So he could see Bakura was probably right about how he behaved when he won.

_I guess I'm just a sore winner. Well mostly it's the other guy who ends up sore._

_Can I help it if I like to rub salt in wounds?_

Marik decided that he was just a little sadistic. Somehow, giving it a name made it perfectly alright. Besides, he felt that if called upon to defend himself, he could say he made up for it by being such a gracious loser.

With that, he curled up in the darkness and went to sleep humming to himself, a smile playing on his lips.

A cosy thought made it all possible:

_There cannot possibly be any monsters out here worse than me._


	10. Trouble Brewing

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch10: Trouble Brewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Thanks to everyone for their reviews, you guys remind me I ought to keep writing. : ) Aw, look at me all gushy. But seriously, I'm a quitter and it amazes me I got this far. Hmm, sorry, late night and too much sugar, coffee and pep talk. Well, the show must go on.

* * *

**The Dream of Malik Ishtar… or Bakura?**

It was India, but not quite India. It was a dream in fact and Malik knew this because this India was what India would look like if all the stereotypes were true and everywhere you looked you could see a view that would grace a postcard. That, and the sky was purple at high noon.

There was not a cloud to be seen as Malik followed his feet through the streets. They looked like they knew where they were going and the one time he'd tried to stop them, he'd fallen over, so he was just along for the ride.

This place seemed familiar in a weird and unsettling way. It wasn't the scenery or the people for every car seemed to be a taxi and he had already had two shop owners telling him to 'please, come again'. It was something behind the accented English and tea drinking monks in shrines to multi limbed gods.

It was something in their eyes – the world was happy and that worried him. Because he knew there was going to be a hanging today. Somehow, he just knew that this was about him, and that this was the end. In fact, now that he thought about it, it seemed obvious. He was going to the jail.

As he realized this, he was faced with a giant palace, brightly coloured and decorated, but beneath it grey stoned, well guarded and harder to break out of than Alcatraz. He was shown by a waiting guard through a door in the outer wall and down a long passage to the cells.

This was nonsense of course. He concurrently knew that what had really happened was that he had been shown inside, seated, waited for hours, been shown into an office, talked with the man inside, made him laugh with his plea, got escorted to the head of the guard, with a message that made all the guards laugh as it was read aloud and at last escorted down a long passage to the cells.

Dreams have a way of speeding things along and putting all the information you may need to make sense of things, directly into your brain.

Malik watched as the guard opened the heavy wooden door, and waited until Malik walked inside, closing it behind him. He had until sundown in this cell; the hanging was at sundown. He just hoped that the fall would be neck breaking – mercifully quick.

He felt movement behind him and turned. There, as his eyes adjusted to the gloom, on a bed that looked like a wide wooden shelf, sat a boy that looked almost identical to Ryou. All except for the way he sat in fact – lounging with one leg swinging off the bed, looking at Malik with his head cocked to one side.

"You know, they only use these cells for conjugal visits. Not that I mean to _imply_ anything by that, it figures this was the only way we can talk in private – the guards here prefer not to listen; they even have a code of honour. I just thought that it was funny, that's all." The boy didn't smile to back up his statement, in fact he looked a bit dazed and tired and thoughtful.

It was still Ryou's politeness and insight, but there was an undertone of purpose that made it seem something else altogether – like a very well insulated cover for a very hot dish. Malik's heart, seemingly oblivious, beat a bit faster at the idea of conjugal visits.

_It has to be Ryou though, there aren't two people in the world that look like that, and isn't this my dream? Then this must be Ryou._

"You're not yourself." He volunteered lightly.

The dream Ryou nodded absentmindedly, gesturing with his right hand, in which he held something that glimmered in the light as he moved. "They do last requests here, you know, last meal and all that. I skipped the meal and went for a mirror instead, so I'm a bit out of it. But I suppose that if you're really _you_, and not my hallucination, you didn't mean _that_."

He paused, thinking. "Mirrors are great things, they let you _really see_ yourself. " He added at last, cryptically.

Malik smiled kindly at the boy and moved closer, concerned for the other's welfare. "You really ought to get some food in you."

The dream Ryou looked surprised for a moment, then gracefully stood up and walked forward to peer into Malik's eyes in the dim light, his face an inch away. It was too dark to see the colour of the boy's eyes.

Malik stood frozen to the spot in confusion, feeling his cheeks heat up at the proximity and scrutiny.

"You're not _him_, are you? No you can't be. _He'd_ know." Malik could feel the boy's breath warm his lips. The boy smiled. "_Malik_, if memory serves. Excuse me for this improper introduction. This was not quite the way…"

The boy stepped back and visibly shook himself. This seemed to have the effect of making him even less like Ryou. The tiredness was gone too, Malik noticed as the boy smirked and moved back to sit on the wooden bench.

"This is some trip, huh. Please sit down Malik, call me Bakura – that's what your other self does, and as you share one body you must understand why I was a bit confused." He gestured for Malik to sit down on the floor and Malik sat.

"That and lack of food." Malik volunteered. The tone of the dream had changed. The hanging wasn't really looming ahead anymore, but was politely set aside for now.

Bakura glanced around the cell. "This? It isn't really your dream kid. Maybe it's something that got left behind when your body housemate was evicted."

Malik looked around, trying to apply some logic to this, from what little he had learned of spirits as tombkeeper. For only a spirit – a bodiless soul – could inhabit the body of another, theoretically. "It would have to be something that was important enough to heavily imprint Namu… I think."

Bakura smirked and shrugged gracefully. "Who knows? Maybe your Namu just likes dungeons. Something for you to ask him perhaps. But back to the food issue. You must know there is no point in me eating now – I get hung at sunset."

Malik nodded, surprised that the comment was not followed by a bundle of information in his mind as to why. "Why?"

Bakura smiled ruefully. "_Never_ put yourself in a situation where you have to rely on your co-workers for anything. Or perhaps it's just that you can't trust thieves on a heist."

Malik smiled. "Sounds like common sense to me."

Bakura nodded. "So it is. But sometimes you have a bad year and go against your better judgement just to _spite_ the world. You should try everything at least once and all that."

Malik nodded in understanding. _That's how it is for me most of the time. _"When the luck's against you, and you're grasping at invisible straws, there's nothing for it but to roll with the punches."

Bakura laughed, and it was rich and warm and somehow secret, echoing off the walls in the dim rosy light. "I love the way you express yourself Malik."

There was a knock, then a guard came to open the door, and Malik got up, as the guard strolled past him.

Bakura stood and the atmosphere was once again serious. "Don't worry, it'll be quick." he said as he and the guard walked out of the cell, leaving Malik behind.

"Are you just saying that for my benefit?" Malik called to the pair.

"Maybe." Came the teasing reply.

Malik looked around the cell and didn't follow his feet when they decided they wanted to leave. He just fell onto the floor, lay on his back and stared at the ceiling in this room, listening to the echoes of the strange soul's laughter until the red of the sunset gave way to the violet of dusk.

_Isis, he is nothing like Ryou. Was that real? Can that spirit really come into my dreams? Or was I in his? Do spirits dream? I wish I could talk to Ryou like that. _

**The Dream of Malik Ishtar… or Bakura?

* * *

**

Yugi Moto sat in class, looking out of the window at the red, gold, orange, brown and acidic yellow leaves, which were the only dash of colour in an otherwise cold and grey world on the other side of the glass.

_Yep. Autumn is definitely here. Orange, red and gold._

Gold. Yugi sighed. It was getting to be a habit with him these days. Mostly he just missed the comforting weight of the puzzle around his neck. Well, it was more than that but that was all his heart was willing to offer at this time.

It was as if he felt slightly less competent in life without it.

_I could not have beaten Seto Kaiba in that tournament without it, I just know that. How am I supposed to win at Pegasus's duellist kingdom? Heart of the cards. Right._

On Sunday, he had received an invitation package from Maxemillion Pegasus – a name and face he was unlikely to forget in a while. He'd received two cards – one with money and one blank, the video, and a duelling glove and two starchips in lieu of an invitation, which he would have to present to be admitted onto the ship that would take him to the secret island this tournament was taking place on.

The only reason he had accepted it, with his grandfather in a coma was because Pegasus had said he had stolen his grandfather's soul, and to get it back Yugi would have to win the tournament.

His grandfather had been on the tape, asking for his help and that had been compelling evidence. Then Pegasus had taken him to what looked like another dimension for a bit, and Yugi had never heard of someone being able to induce a hallucination via videotape. Mostly, though, he believed Pegasus because he wanted to believe he could help his grandfather get better, that it wasn't just old age or a bad heart or fate.

So he had decided to go. This was his second tournament and he was wrong when he thought the first was the hardest. People knew him now. All the same people that had been there before – the cream of the crop, would be watching him – the boy who beat Seto Kaiba, to see if he falls flat on his face. This time, people noticed, people cared and he had no puzzle or Exodia.

Thankfully, there turned out to be no issues apart from the tournament itself in his way. His friends had decided that they'd come no matter what, even Anzu who would usually be the first to point out that they did not have invitations.

_But then Anzu had said that Mai would be flying in for the tournament._

She did, however put a stop to Jounochi's idea of beating up three other kids who'd been invited so that all of them could have one 'glove an' stuff' each. The worry about how to get on the boat was put off till later.

Malik had woken up and shown up at the hospital on Sunday, to everyone's delight. He had also managed to score an invitation off Shadi, as soon as he had heard that they were all going. It was he that pointed out that since the tournament was in the lead up to Halloween and the finals on the night of the same, they would have to ask for time off school.

This was no problem for the two group members who had been invited. The school looked kindly on students participating in world class championships.

Jounochi had played the 'family' card and got time off to help his sister, because the school had no way of knowing that she would have her bandages off soon. Shizuka could not go because both Jounochi and her mother were dead set against her 'gallivanting' off on some adventure just as she got her eyesight back. It was one of the few things they agreed about. This was funny, because nobody had actually suggested that Shizuka might want to go, including the girl herself.

Anzu had gotten time off to look after Yugi's mother in his absence – something that Shizuka said she wanted to do. Honda had gotten it by saying that he had to keep Mr. Moto company and that Yugi couldn't go if he was worried about his grandfather; which was pushing it a bit, but then the teachers liked Yugi. Yugi himself thought that the nurses would have taking care of his grandfather covered and that the doctors had to be well qualified, and that visits from Shizuka and his mom would suffice.

They didn't have to do anything to organize transportation because Mai would be coming, and even then all they had to do was to get to the city docks, as the island was nearby. In fact logically speaking, the whole thing so far was turning out to be amazingly easy.

_I'm just tired from sitting at the hospital until late for a week and a half – that's why everything looks so gloomy. That and the abysmal weather. I should really concentrate on my studies from now on so I can get ahead, to make up for what I'll miss during the tournament._

With that thought, Yugi turned back to the electrically lit classroom which reminded him of the surgical light in the hospital, and concentrated on the teacher, as the wind howled outside.

* * *

Seto Kaiba sat in class, typing on his laptop. It had not been a good week and it looked like it would get worse. 

Something was up, Seto knew, because the Big Five suddenly needed him to do everything. He couldn't argue with the logic that he was the best man for the job, and it was important that everything would be ready in time for his tournament, and that everything ran smoothly on the day.

_But they would never admit that I am better than them, however true it may be._

Lately he spent most of his spare time working, negotiating permits and settling disputes.

Mokuba was a constant worry as well, for he hung out with Otogi so much, he had begun to pick things up. One thing in particular was that Mokuba was really conscientious, he cared about doing things right, he cared in general, he couldn't help it. But with Otogi's influence, he started pretending he wasn't bothered by anything – Seto could see it was fake, because Mokuba couldn't keep doing it all the time, especially when things went wrong. It didn't help that Seto did not have even five minutes to spend with his brother.

And things _always_ went wrong around Otogi. It was like he walked in the eye of a tornado, because none of it seemed to touch him.

_That idiot is going to send my insurance through the roof. The day I went to get the fourth Blue Eyes he nearly set fire to the house by leaving the stove on, with the dishcloth tossed casually onto it. It's good I don't hire inferior staff or we would have had to rebuild the kitchen for sure._

Seto shook his head and went back to his typing. He had to concentrate because there was a lot of work to be done, and he had to get the minimum three hours of sleep to function properly. This was the latest draft of the application for the necessary permits to section off the centre of Domino for his tournament this coming spring. It would probably not be the last.

* * *

Ryou Bakura was sitting in class, waiting for the bell to ring. Otogi was sitting beside him, chatting away to a couple of girls as he worked. 

Ryou had already done all the problems and his homework and was now looking blankly at Malik, who was avidly passing notes with Jounochi and Honda.

_It feels really good to see him back to normal, or,_ Ryou amended, _it feels good to see him back._

After being unconscious for a week, both Rashid, and Ryou – who received a key to the apartment from Rashid and tried to visit when the other boy was out – were beginning to get very worried.

Last Sunday, Malik finally awoke during a visit from Ryou, none the worse for the experience. He then sat down and caught up on all the news, with Rashid's help and all his homework, with Ryou's help. Not stopping for a break, he went off to the hospital to visit Yugi.

Ryou had then had the unsettling experience of being driven home on the back of Malik's motorbike, on his way to the hospital. The compounded effect of Malik's driving and the motorbike itself made him decide that for his peace of mind, next time, he would walk…

…The bell rang and he turned to Otogi as he packed up.

"Thankyou for inviting me to stay at Pegasus's castle. If you are sure he won't mind..."

Otogi smirked, looking away from the girls, "Sure as sure can be. He's relaxed about visitors."

"I will call and let you know if I can make it."

Otogi nodded. "Anytime, day or night. Preferably soon."

Having packed his back, Bakura bowed 'see you tomorrow' to Otogi, as the latter smirked, shaking his head and turned back to the girls.

Bakura left school as quickly as he could, successfully avoiding the notice of teachers and students who were starting the regular school cleanup. He was glad that Ryou was too worried about being put in a mental hospital to join any of the after school clubs as he got into a waiting cab – he had called his cab company at lunchtime to pick him up after school.

He had several appointments to keep tonight with some people who knew what on earth was going on.

He gave Ryou's home address.

This had all started when he was called by the pawnbroker about a 'special item' that had just come in that might just suit him.

It turned out he was right – a reasonably interesting job and pay like you wouldn't believe. So Bakura didn't believe it.

_The Kaiba mansion, alright. Straightforward breaking and entering and theft, fine. It's difficult and plenty of people out there would pay good money to someone who could do it. _

_But here is the problem – the people that _would_ pay and the people that _could _pay are entirely different cliques. _And _it's too much money. It's rare enough when they overpay, and _nobody_ overpays this much._

So it got Bakura thinking. Who was paying him? Because the pawnbroker didn't get a cut, the one who offered the job must be the one he worked for. Who did the pawnbroker work for?

_And what the HELL would someone with that much money want with the outfit worn by Seto Kaiba on the day he lost to Yugi Moto? Fans are crazy, but crazy people don't get this rich or run such a slick operation._

And after a week, he had gotten appointments with some people that had all the answers. Not by themselves, mind you, but collectively. And the last appointment of the evening was in the dodgy part of town, in a bar that was frequented by people with very interesting fetishes.

_Marik would feel right at home there I think._

And because these people had all gotten away with their hobbies for years and become reasonably successful in life, Bakura was going home to get changed. It wasn't a place for schoolboys.

* * *

Malik Ishtar had followed the boy this far and he didn't intent to stop now. He parked. 

This was not a nice place. The taxi had driver taken off almost as soon as the boy paid him – he started driving as the passenger door was being closed.

_But he went in, so it can't be all that bad._

Malik pushed the door and went inside.

It was hard to see because of the smoke, but he managed to get to the bar. The boy wasn't anywhere in sight.

Malik sat down, dropping his school bag at his feet, and peered through the gloom, trying to read the menu.

"What're you drinkin' luv?" said a deep voice behind him, the smell of alcohol wafting his way.

Malik turned, to face the beefy man, smiling at his predicament. This produced a similar reaction in the man, only his turned out to be an ugly grimace – he seemed too drunk to have complete control of his facial muscles.

Just as he was about to ask if there was anything good here, what sounded like a scuffle broke out behind the man – it was too dark and smoky to see. The man turned around slowly, and looked at it as if trying to figure out what was going on. Meanwhile, the scuffle radiated outwards until it became a full flung bar brawl, the bartender nowhere in sight – probably hiding behind the bar.

_Or joining in; this seems to be that kind of place._

The only person not involved was Malik, because it was hard to see and he was by the bar near the door, away from most of the patrons. This peace though, could not last and as Malik sat there contemplating the failure of his errand amidst the noise and fluing debris, a hooded Ryou appeared out of the fog, moving purposefully between the men, occasionally accompanied by a scream of pain.

As he got to Malik, Malik realized that the boy's eyes were a deep ruby red. It was Bakura.

"Get out." The boy said, pulling Malik off the stool, and then pushing him towards the door.

Malik didn't have to be told twice, and when he got out into the relatively fresher air, he didn't stop until he was on his motorbike, hand on the key in the ignition.

As every instinct screamed at him to run and the loudest sound he heard was his heart beat, he waited. Soon, the door opened, spilling out a running Bakura.

"Go, go!" He ordered, hopping on behind Malik, as the latter started the engine. In no time, they were speeding away, the wind dispelling the strong metallic scent of blood coming from Bakura.

_What if he's hurt? Am I worried about him or Ryou? Who _cares_! I'm worried, and it's gonna have to wait._

Malik concentrated on driving more that he had ever done before, as Bakura purred directions in his ear, wordlessly parked, followed Bakura up to the apartment, watched him unlock the door, walked in and watched him lock it behind them.

His heart was beating a touch faster than normal, as he took Bakura's arm, dragging him to the sink, turning on the lights and pulling off his hooded top. Both of them proceeded to wash the blood off Bakura's chest.

As soon as he could se that Bakura's skin was unbroken, Malik sighed, realising he'd been holding his breath. _Thank Isis he isn't hurt!_

With that thought, Malik glanced up to see a crooked smile on Bakura's face and realized he could be doing something more useful.

Malik left to go get a towel from the bathroom. By the time he had come back, Bakura had finished washing, had left his hooded top soaking in the sink and left a wet flick-knife on the counter.

Still a bit shaken up, Malik only noticed that Bakura's jeans had escaped unbloodied as he tossed Bakura the towel.

Malik then escaped to Ryou's bedroom to lean back against the wall, a happy grin forming on his face as he sighed with relief and tried to get his heart to beat at a more normal pace.

Malik smirked sneakily as another late realization hit him. _Gods he looks good._

Just as Malik thought he had his heart rate under control and was getting ready to go back lest Bakura started wondering what had become of him, the boy himself stepped into the room, still wearing just the jeans and that crooked smile.

Malik looked into the red eyes, shimmering in the light that filtered in from the kitchen, and was mesmerised.

"I don't usually resort to drawing blood, not physically. I am a _thief_, blood is… Namu's department." He purred as he walked up, stopping a couple of inches away.

Malik smirked as his heart rate jumped and stated defiantly, "I am _not_ Namu."

Bakura nodded, as he got closer, a wet strand of hair dripping on his collarbone. "Strictly speaking, neither am I _Ryou_, does it matter?" He asked teasingly, looking into Malik's eyes.

Considering the half naked Bakura in the dim light made his entire body warm up in the chilly apartment, and having just watched him draw blood, Malik opted for blunt honesty. "Not really." He grinned as Bakura pressed against him, both unable to hide anything from each other at this proximity.

Bakura, bracing himself on the wall, leaned forward, past Malik, to whisper in his ear. "My thoughts exactly."

The hot breath on his ear, and the hair tickling his face, sent shivers down Malik's spine, and he felt goosebumps appear on his arms.

It took a couple of seconds to register Bakura's kiss on his neck, and by then, a tingling line could be traced to his mouth following a trail of urgent kisses.

Namu wasn't there. Ryou wasn't there. Bakura risked his life without a moment's thought to help Malik, without so much as mentioning the incident afterwards. But most of all, Malik was strongly aware that Bakura's soft hair smelt of berries and his mouth tasted of those coffee lollies Rashid had brought home once.

Soon, they lay on the bed, covered by only a light sheet, the blanket lying beside them, ready for when their bodies cooled down a little.

Malik lay on his back smiling as he investigated the light playing on the ceiling, feeling the pleasant weight of Bakura lying almost on top of him, feather-soft white hair brushing against his left ear. The scent of the hair mingled with that of coffee, and Malik could feel the warmth of Bakura's breath on his neck. He could feel Bakura's every breath and heartbeat, hair tickled him if either of them moved.

It felt right. It surprised Malik to think that while he still wanted Ryou no less than before, he had stumbled onto something he wanted just as much. He wanted to keep this… perfection, forever… as well.

_He's so much like Ryou, yet so different._

For the first time in his life, Malik found being around somebody relaxing. Even around Rashid he had to tread carefully when it came to some things, for example his personal safety. He couldn't do anything too crazy in front of his friends, so he had to watch himself constantly and he wouldn't even begin to go into the rest of his nearest and dearest.

_But Bakura seems to accept me, just me, all of me, taking everything in his stride, like us being near each other, talking, like our entire relationship is a fact of life. We've only known each other one day._

This thought put forward the notion that maybe Malik was being delusional. Deciding to test this, Malik mused aloud. "Can one be in love with two people at once?"

It was a question he did want to ask, but it contained two notions that would result in a quick retreat in all but the most accepting of relationships. These were 'love' and 'two people'. An out was if Bakura did not take him seriously, but that would also be bad because it would mean that there could be no real acceptance because Bakura plainly could not see who Malik really was.

That was the logic Malik felt run through his head after he spoke. He returned to reality to hear the reply.

Some time passed for consideration, then Malik felt Bakura chuckle against him, coffee laced breath trailing warm puffs of air from his neck to his ear. "That depends on how you define _people_."

Satisfied with his proof, Malik left it at that and snaked his arms around Bakura's waist. Soon, Bakura followed suit, and Malik had to lift both of them up a little to make it doable.

However, curiosity nagged at him and he had to ask before he dozed off. "Could I have you _and_ Ryou?"

Bakura took a while to answer, smiling against Malik's chest, which muffled his reply somewhat. "You'll have to ask Ryou, but I don't see why not. If I get you _and _Namu."

"Would you?" the question came out of Malik's mouth bypassing his brain – not a rare occurrence.

"I _always_ get what I _want_." Bakura replied forcefully, pulling his arms out from around Malik. Then he relaxed, resting one on Malik's chest palm down. "But it will take some time – _Namu_ will mind." Bakura chucked it's going to be funny when he finds out what I've known since India."

"What's that?" Malik asked, curious.

"It's a surprise." Bakura kissed Malik's chest lightly. "Sleep."

Malik wanted to know, but closed his eyes, his resigned sigh turning into a yawn. Madness was the way of the world and he'd find out eventually.

_It's weird but somehow I _know_ Bakura would never lie. The same way I _knew _he accepted me and I was right on that score._

He drifted off as he felt the warm blanket being drawn over both of them by Bakura.

* * *

Yugi and the others went off to their various clubs, as always, after lessons had finished. The school day wasn't really over yet, and Malik had disappeared somewhere but nobody was surprised. 

When they were cleaning the classroom, Jounochi said that Malik probably just wanted to skip his cleanup duties, and everyone was sure that was what had happened until Honda pointed out that Malik had asked him to tell Ludo he wasn't coming to work today. Anzu had said that maybe it was a family emergency, then she blushed and everybody had looked at Yugi and gone back to cleaning.

The jury was still out on why Malik had vanished so suddenly. Yugi got the feeling that this was something that would never be explained, and it didn't really bother him.

_I'm sure it is important, but if something bad had happened, he would tell us._

After class, Yugi walked to the classroom allocated for maths club, which, as he recently found out, he had with Kaiba. Yugi figured Seto _had_ to waste some time because the popular Otogi was going home after judo club – of which he, to Honda's surprise, had become president almost as soon as he joined; Honda was also doing judo. Malik had joined kendo, and was reputedly doing very well. Jounochi had gone to the soccer club practice and Anzu had a dance club meeting.

There wasn't much to the maths club really. They did problems and helped the more junior students with homework or asked for help from the older students. They did all calculations by hand, so no computers were allowed. Their math teacher was the supervisor for their club but she didn't do much, except for chat to some of the students about this and that; she was very approachable.

Some of them were in the school chess team, which tended to overlap with some of the other clubs, so they frequently had people come in who weren't in the club at all. The only activity they had as a club were the math competitions and chess tournaments – although there was only a small number of them competing, the others were expected to cheer them on.

Kaiba has been first chair on the chess team for as long as Yugi had been at the school, but nobody ever saw him practice. Seto Kaiba was the exception to the no computer rule, ever since the one day last week when the teacher confiscated it for the duration of the meeting. He now mainly just typed on his computer, which considering how his cold blue eyes and harsh manner tended to make people nervous, was a good arrangement all round. Everybody, even the kids in the year above them stayed out of his way.

Yugi had not chosen this club because he particularly liked math. He was good at it true, and it beat the sports clubs where the kids would have made fun of him, but he was good at all subjects. Yugi could have as easily chosen science or English, but to do science outside of normal school time you had to really be into it and English was just one language whereas math was a universal one.

And his mum had liked the sound of math club best.

For him, it was just something to do before he met up with his friends after school. He usually just took out his deck and went through it after doing his homework. It was a good time to reflect on the duels he had seen at the tournaments and regionals, the strengths and weaknesses of certain kinds of monsters, of the debate for and against collecting just one type, the pro side being the one winning currently, with the support of such players as Rex Raptor – dinosaurs and Weevil Underwood – bugs.

Yugi took out his homework, and then walked up to the teacher to ask for some work so he could get ahead in math to make up for the classes he would miss by going to the tournament.

_The tournament…heart of the cards…grandpa's soul…everybody watching…no pressure.

* * *

_

Seto smirked when Otogi announced on the drive home that he was going to stay in Duellist Kingdom during Halloween.

_Good riddance. Some peace and quiet for a while, maybe I can show Mokuba the world I've been developing. _

Seto valued external criticism especially on a computer game from a brother that couldn't go a day without playing something. Seto's reverie was interrupted by Otogi, who was leaning his head back on his hands, and surveying the black ceiling of the limo.

"You know, he wants you to come and play in the tournament."

"Hn." Seto replied. In his books, Pegasus wanting him to come was a very good reason not to go.

There was a long pause while Otogi looked out of the tinted window. But complete silence until they reached the mansion was more than Seto could reasonably hope for.

"You realize you're not doing your reputation any good; nobody has seen you play after that time in the park. People are saying you crashed and aren't coming back because you're scared of Yugi Moto. People…"

"Get out." Seto replied, as they had reached the mansion gates.

Otogi glanced at Seto, smirked and got out of the limo. Before he closed the door, he had a little parting comment. "You may not care, but Mokuba does."

_Git._ Seto thought as the door slammed.

He was planning a grand comeback to the world of duelling and it would not be wasted on Pegasus's little fetish with its winner receiving the controversial title of King of Games. He was planning a tournament that would blow people's minds, and he was planning to win.

* * *

Ryou woke up early and naked. Both were so unnerving that he immediately decided upon looking at the alarm clock – it was 6am – to go straight back to sleep. 

However, as he lay back down and closed his eyes, he realised that he was completely awake _and_ refreshed. For perhaps this reason, he found it very hard to fight the happiness bubbling up form inside. He smiled quizzically and pulled on his green silk pyjama pants, some furry slippers and a white furry bathrobe that he found where he had last left them in a neat pile on the table by his bed.

It was always cool inside the flat because he liked fresh air and never bothered to turn up the central heating when the windows were closed. Yawning more from habit than anything else, he made his way to the living room in the darkness before sunrise.

He was slightly startled when he saw a familiar blonde turn to face him as he entered. The boy was dressed in their school uniform, drinking what smelt like hot chocolate on his couch. The only alteration he had made to the uniform was that he had hung his jacket on some hooks by the door among Ryou's dad's winter coats, and was now wearing a very familiar white jumper.

Eyes wide from surprise and worry, in the dim light, Ryou could see Malik's cheeks were a shade darker than the rest of his face. Of course, it could have been the fact that he was being warmed up by his drink.

_I wonder what the etiquette is in this situation. Wait! How did he get in? Did we…_

As if reading his thoughts and certainly to forestall any more along those lines, Malik greeted him quickly and nervously with a crooked smile.

"Hi, Ryou. Don't… think anything. I'm here to see Bakura." Then he added, with a worried smile. "You know about him, right?"

Ryou saw the eyes imploring him not to… Well he wasn't sure exactly what was worrying the other boy. Ryou was sure he couldn't lift a hand to stop Malik from doing just as he pleased.

_Even if we had not started this awkward friendship. What does he think I'll do? I don't deserve that look._

He nodded his head, smiling politely, then genuinely as it elicited a groan of annoyance from Malik…

…Bakura yawned and stretched theatrically, one eye closed, and shuffled over to the cupboard to make some coffee. When there, kitchen lights on, one hand putting beans into the coffee grinder he had recently acquired, he realized he had not brushed his teeth or had a shower, that in fact, he should be in the bathroom.

Grumbling, he turned on the teapot and shuffled across the living room, in the direction of the bathroom. He smirked when Malik's greeting evidenced the fact that he had just regained his power of speech.

"Horis. That must be the strangest thing I have ever seen." Came with him into the bathroom in awed tones, soon to be followed by its owner.

His non committal 'Hn' reply was said to Malik's grinning reflection, as he glanced up for a second, his lips being covered in toothpaste foam, with the toothbrush handle hanging out of his mouth.

Bakura returned to his dailies, continuing to grumble. He had seen the sparkle in his shadowed eyes reflecting in the mirror which belied his behaviour. In fact he was savouring this morning, doing all those things it amused him to do and enjoying that his audience was not Marik, so he didn't have to read meaning into the actions of his observer or figure out what his own actions were conveying.

"What was that?" Asked Malik, amusement so thick in his voice, it was a wonder he wasn't chuckling. A glance in the mirror showed Bakura a grinning Malik, who had just looked up from cleaning his nails as he leaned against one side of the doorframe.

Bakura wiped his face on a hand towel, turned around and hung it in its place as he thought of an adequate reply.

"Which one? 'You wouldn't catch me dead in that jumper' or 'hot chocolate, the lows our society has sunk to these days, yech'?" he asked raising an eyebrow and smirking.

Malik laughed "As opposed to coffee?" as he pushed away from the doorframe and the two of them walked into the living room.

Malik's voice turned serious, and Bakura missed the second thing he said, as the grinder made quite a racket while it filled the room with the beautiful scent of freshly ground coffee.

When he had put the powder into the coffee maker, turned it on, and washed the various parts of the grinder, setting it to dry – which required considerable concentration due to the copious very sharp blades – Bakura turned to Malik, who had come to rinse his cup in the sink.

"Come again?" He asked cocking his head to the side when Malik avoided his eyes.

"The jumper. It smells like Ryou." Came the reply as Malik shrugged.

"Ah." Bakura understood perfectly, and felt uncomfortable in this new emotional territory – that of confidant. He wanted Malik to laugh, not wear the smile he did now which failed miserably to hide his emotions, and so conveyed them most eloquently.

"So does the chocolate." He grumbled. Malik smirked.

"So do I as a matter of fact." Malik looked up, a strange smile on his face, his eyes a bit glazed over.

Bakura looked over and saw the coffee was done. He pulled a cup out of the cupboard and poured some for himself.

At the same time he felt Malik came over and bury his face in the crook of Bakura's shoulder, his arms snaking around Bakura's bare waist, under the open bathrobe.

Bakura looked at the coffee cup in his hand, then at Malik, whose hair was partially obstructing his mouth. He tried reaching around to move it out of the way with his other arm, but Malik made it impossible to reach.

There was nothing for it.

"Git off!" He said through clenched teeth, and Malik pulled back to look at him, cocking his head to one side questioningly. "Coffee." Bakura looked longingly at the cup.

Malik released him and stepped back, smiling, one hand behind his head. "Ha! Yeah."

"I'll be on the couch." He added with a smile, walking off and lying down on said couch, so he had a view of the starry sky outside.

The stars were beginning to be covered by distant clouds moving in for the morning fog. The sky was that peculiar shade it got when you knew it was already morning, so your eyes kept trying to convince your brain that it was getting lighter when in fact it was still the same as at midnight.

Malik's easy reply was the latest in a line of reminders that he wasn't Marik. _And it's surprisingly great. Ha! I didn't realize how intense Marik is until I had something to compare it to. And_ I'm_ the observant one!_

Bakura could now make his way over to the couch freely, sit down as Malik lifted his head and drink his coffee as that head was lowered onto his lap. He proceeded to do this, thinking that with Marik, things like this needed at the very least the pretence of an excuse if not a solid reason.

He had forgotten to turn off the light in the kitchen, he realized as soon as he got comfortable. This meant that their view of the sky was not as good as it could have been.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

Bakura felt Malik's head move, sending tingles all over his body and glanced down into the light blue eyes.

_Nobody should be allowed to have eyes that blue._

"Light." He replied.

Malik nodded, smiling innocently. "Me too." Then his smile turned into the smile of a child with a mischievous idea. "I'll get it" He proceeded to hop up, Bakura barely saving the remnants of his coffee from ending up all over both of them.

He was gone longer than necessitated going to the kitchen, but Bakura didn't mind, and at least he didn't forget to turn off the light before he returned, hairbrush in hand.

"You forgot something this morning, I think." Said Malik, grinning as he plonked onto the couch, holding up the hairbrush.

"Well go on then." said Bakura, grumbling, "I ain't doing it. It's a bother doing it every time I have a shower, it always looks messy anyway, so spending my spare time on it…"

"Turn around." Malik interrupted laughing.

Bakura took off his slippers, turned to sit cross-legged on the couch and made sure none of his hair was caught by the bathrobe. Malik's touch was surprisingly gentle.

"Practice on your sister?" He guessed.

"So you CAN see Ryou's memories." Malik paused.

"Mmm." Bakura replied as the brushing resumed – Ryou was the only one of the two of them that had seen Ishizu in person. He half closed his eyed to feel the brush, the coffee warming him inside a soft bathrobe to contrast with the cool air on his face.

* * *

Malik loved the feel of this hair. 

"I don't know if you remembered it's a school day today." He said, quietly so as not to wreck the mood.

"Hm? Oh, you can go by your house and get your books before school, can't you?" Came the offhand reply. Malik waited because if Bakura was anything like Ryou, he didn't miss details, no matter what was happening at the time.

"Or you can get Rashid to go by the bar, but you know all you have to do is call him, so presumably you did that this morning and your books will be meeting you at the school gate. So what was your point? Ah. There's plenty of time for me to get changed."

Given that he was obviously on the verge of falling asleep, Bakura's mental processing was impressive. Malik smiled and continued brushing, the rhythmic motions soothing him to the point where it was almost like meditation. After a bit though, thoughts bubbled up from nowhere.

_Everything looks blue in this light… This place is awfully impersonal for a family home – I haven't seen any photos or anything…It's not like at Yugi's – they've even got photos of his friends about the place…I wonder how he's coping with his grandfather in the hospital…That tape about the tournament…He must have either gone mad, become really gullible or the world isn't quite as mundane and boring as we're led to believe… Hmm, Duellist Kingdom, I wonder if Bakura's going. Does he even duel? Ha! I could ask._

"Hey, Bakura, are you going to Duellist Kingdom?"

"Not the tournament, but the place, possibly."

"Aren't you competing?"

"Why would I?" Came the surprised reply. "I don't _need_ three million dollars and there's nothing Pegasus can do for me I can't do for myself." There was a pause for thought. "Ryou has been invited by Otogi, so if we go, we'll be at the castle."

"Castle?" Malik was surprised.

Bakura chuckled. "Yes, Pegasus lives in a castle."

"I haven't heard of any castles around here."

"My guess is he built it himself – he would make quite a bit being head of Industrial Illusions. _Funny_ how the company has grown astronomically since it was founded on the making of Duel Monsters."

"It would have made a lot of money once it took off." Malik reasoned.

"Yes, but the numbers don't add up – its profits would have levelled off _if_ it didn't branch out into other stuff."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. _Yet_."

"Is that why you're going there?"

Bakura shrugged. "Maybe. It teases curiosity, doesn't it?"

Just then, the phone rang.

Malik checked a clock on the wall. "It's seven am, on a school day."

Bakura shrugged again, and reached over to pick up the handset by the antenna with his foot. He put it down on the table near his coffee cup, and turned on the speakerphone.

"Hello? How may I help you?" It was such a good imitation of Ryou, Malik stopped brushing for a moment.

"You could direct me to a thief." Came a cheerful voice. _It's the kind of voice_, Malik thought, _that would wake you up at the crack of dawn to tell you 'good morning sleepy head' followed by an 'oh, I'm sorry, were you sleeping?'._

"Speaking. May I enquire who is calling?" Bakura sounded relaxed, so Malik continued brushing.

"You may indeed. This is Maxemillion Pegasus. And you must be the boy who has been enquiring into my affairs."

"I'm afraid that you have been misinformed there. I was enquiring into _my_ affairs. It interested me to find out _why_ I'm getting hush money on top of my usual fee. Mr. Nezbitt doesn't sound like the fan boy type."

"Oh you are _that_ thief. My, my, how proactive of you! Of course, my apologies for the misunderstanding. And how did you make out?"

"I got the conspiracy and kidnapping bit, however the lie of _your_ allegiance is a little foggy around the edges."

"How resourceful! My allegiance is _always_ foggy. Mind you, I have a _slight_ leaning towards the boy that made me king. So what, may I ask are _your_ plans?"

"I'll do the job – I like my work. What I _don't _like is not being told the full story."

"But you enjoy the sleuthing for information."

"Of course. But only to double check."

"A boy after my own heart! I tell you what, you come down here when the tournament is on. You know about it?... If not, find out. Then we can talk properly, and discuss job prospects. I'm in the castle, you can't miss it. Well, toodleoo!" And that was it.

Malik stopped brushing – he was finished anyway, and Bakura leaned forward to replace the handset.

"Well. It would seem I am going after all." Said Bakura, turning to put on his slippers. Malik could hear Ryou's politeness fade as he talked.

Having put on the slippers, Bakura stood and started walking away.

Malik quickly moved to the edge of the couch, eyes wide. "What? Now?"

Bakura turned around, smirking. His features were illuminated by the light of dawn, his eyes a warmer red in this light. "Now? Clothes. Call Otogi. School."

Nobody saw them arrive together on Malik's motorbike, and Rashid delivered Malik's bag completely intact. There was a whole month from now until Halloween, and Malik for one intended to spend it working, studying to get ahead and trying to get his Millennium Rod back. It left only enough time to literally sleep with Bakura, but then the other boy had a job to pull off.


	11. Plans Executed

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch11: Plans Executed.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Ne. This one is super long, so be warned. By the by, the self-imposed deadlines for these chapters are one per month, so feel free to hold me to it. : ) This one's a little late due to the start of uni.

* * *

**The Dream of Ryou Bakura**

This place was one he had visited many times; sometimes to see exactly the same things he had seen when he was last here, sometimes to see something new. This place had a claming effect on his always over stressed nerves.

The feeling was…home.

The sand here was endlessly tossed by the wind, the sun restlessly beat down on anything that moved across the shimmering golden expanse.

"So much gold…everywhere."

Those quiet words full of desire were his, but he didn't say them. He would never say anything like that…aloud. It was true that he had always wanted nice things, but it was equally true that they never willingly fell into his hands.

He moved out of the cave he had been standing in, to cross the expanse of dunes before him. His eyes eagerly watched for any movement that could be attributed to a person. It was a hard task to see anything in the heat shimmer rising from the sand, but he had had plenty of practice.

He was headed away from what in modern times was called the 'Valley of Kings'. He called it a waste of space though the gods knew this land had been blessed with too much space for its own good. They were planning to build luxurious tombs there for a very small amount of very rich, very dead demi-gods.

He moved quickly over the sand, dressed in sand coloured heavy hooded robes and a face mask. The pharaoh himself had decided that he and his predecessor and descendants deserved to be buried in style, so the project had attracted many a rich investor wanting to please their ruler. This made the building sites very lucrative.

It was hard to police a place so large, outside the cities, and as everyone in the business knew, one man's problem could become another man's living.

He spotted another cave, exposed by the most recent sandstorm and ducked in there to take a break and examine his haul. It was most of this shipment of gold ornaments for the old pharaoh's tomb. The only thing there he did not understand was the one thing he had taken that he could not possibly sell.

True, it was pure gold, but the more he looked at it hanging around his neck, under his robes, the more he was sure that it was something of a collectors' item. Collectors' items had the habit of being priceless – people would kill you to get it but nobody would pay a beggar's meal for it.

"You may very well have been the death of the old pharaoh, and you're a bit bulky for a necklace but we misfits have to stick together, so you look out for me and I'll look out for you."

He smirked and moved on – he had to get to town before dark and his camel was still quite a walk away. It was a dream he had had many times. He was going to see the lord he worked for, whose wife had recently and with a little help, 'passed away'.

He was feeling the familiar satisfaction at the end of a good day's work. In a while he would find out about the elite duel circuit, where you had to possess a Millennium item to play, and risked your life, mind and soul every time you played.

_Perhaps this time I will join the circuit, not just sell the haul and set up on my own._

But he knew this would not happen. He would do what he supposed he always did – turn away and get back to what he was good at. These dreams would always tread the same safe path – one of sand, jobs, and gold. He had the feeling that there were pieces missing from this story, but the story was really the excuse to showcase the beauty of the emotions he felt here.

The land was hot and harsh, the cities cool and exquisite, the jobs excited and challenged him. It was an existence that seemed to make his real one pale in comparison. Best of all, there were no surprises that he had not planned for, not that _he_ did any of the planning. It was like replaying the highlights of a successful career – there was _always_ a good ending.

He sighed as he got onto his camel and asked it politely to get up – it had the habit of biting and spitting when testy. It took its time but time meant nothing out here in the desert. One day you could be looking at the sands and everything would seem brand new, then they shifted and everything looked the way it used to be hundreds of years ago.

**The Dream of Ryou Bakura

* * *

**

Yugi Moto smiled at the inscrutable suits as he presented his duelling glove and starchip – he had given one to Jounochi. Malik had given a chip to Honda and Mai gave one to Anzu, so now everyone could duel in the tournament.

He knew his friends were probably sneaking aboard right now, in one of the many big crates that were being loaded onto the luxury cruiser. On the streetlamp-lit foggy docks of Domino it was hard just to recognise the people standing near you, so the security was laughable.

Yugi almost walked into Malik at the top of the gangplank.

"They're all safely aboard." Malik announced quietly, his gold jewellery, sparkly eyes and white teeth eerily bright in the gloom.

Yugi smiled. "Let's go inside so we're not in the way."

Malik grinned and extended his hand. "Follow me."

Yugi took the offered hand, which was warm despite their cold and damp surroundings, and was led into the pea-soup fog towards the vague looming shape of the main bulk of the ship.

Malik was wearing a hooded sleeveless cotton top, the hood of which was never meant to be used, an array of gold jewellery and jeans that looked torn, frayed and faded but were in fact the height of fashion. Yugi felt a little out of place in his usual leather on a normal day, but today was far from normal.

As they walked into the ship through a metal, round-windowed door, they were met with an astonishing sight. In every room along this hall, the light was on and the doors open. In every room kids of every age were practice duelling, working on their decks, trading, chatting about duel monsters or serving as an avid audience for all four.

Yugi had only gone halfway down the hall and already he'd spotted many familiar faces, often watched on televised tournaments on holidays and weekends. It all felt unreal.

_And now I am one of them._

The thought was so amazing that Yugi didn't even protest as a hand snaked out and pulled him into a room he had been walking past.

Yugi looked up at Jounochi, off-white t-shirt and tattered jeans Jounochi, not because it was fashionable but because those were the clothes he had worn on and off for as long as Yugi had known him. Jounochi was grinning and judging from the pain in his arm, Yugi concluded that Jounochi was very real.

"It's all happening Yugi!" Said an excited Jounochi, echoing Yugi's thoughts.

"It's just a tournament." Came the familiar superior tone.

Jounochi moved aside to reveal the rest of the room, which the gang had commandeered. It was bathed in the golden glow of old-fashioned lamps and had pillows on the floor, some of which were occupied. Honda was technically wearing almost the same thing as Jounochi, but his jeans and white t-shirt were reasonably new and very clean. Adding to this his black jacket, he was dressy-casual, nothing at all like Jounochi.

Honda was currently duelling Mai, a look of absolute concentration on his face. Mai was wearing a white top, purple jacket and jeans. Mai smirked at Yugi, then looked back at the duel as Honda made his move.

"Are you alright Yugi?" Asked a concerned Anzu in a pink blouse and jeans, lying on Mai's lap, occasionally having her hair played with.

Yugi nodded, smiling, glad to see Anzu was really happy and being herself for the first time in a while.

Jounochi looked out into the corridor, then put a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Hey Yugi, where's Malik?"

Surprised, Yugi looked behind him into the corridor, but the tanned blonde was nowhere in sight.

"I don't know." He answered finally, and Jounochi frowned and shut the door.

"I guess he's on his own then." Said the boy, going to join the others.

Honda outlined the situation as he frowned at the floor, where his monsters were in dire straits. "I spotted Weevil a while back, so we decided to hide out in here."

Mai looked up from the floor, confident, "These rooms are for everybody to hang out in. There's bedrooms downstairs, if anyone needs their rest or privacy. Bathrooms are on every floor. Plus anyone can walk around on deck if they feel really sick."

"Thanks for reminding me." Honda groaned, and got a few laughs, but it was obvious that the duel was taking most of his attention right now.

Anzu smiled up at Yugi as he sat down near Jounochi. "I'm up next to battle Honda We're taking turns to take his mind off…Jounochi wanted you to help him with his deck."

"I'll be up after you then, if nobody objects." said Yugi. He had rearranged his deck for this tournament and taken out Obelisk, so he was eager to test it.

Anzu nodded, and Jounochi shrugged, so he took that as a 'yes'.

Mai smiled at Yugi as she finished off what little remained of Honda's life points. "Once we get away from the shore, the sky should clear and we'll get some stars."

Anzu sat up as the cards were cleared away, and moved to sit in Mai's lap, taking her deck out. "We were thinking of checking out the view. There aren't many girls on board so we won't get a crowd to see the sunrise either."

"We'll look out for Malik." Mai finished.

"If you want to get some sleep, Yugi, it's probably a good idea." Anzu added as she examined the cards in her hand.

Mai looked at the cards over Anzu's shoulder, pointed at a couple as she whispered something, and then rested her hands around the girl's waist as she turned to Yugi to clarify.

"Everybody's going to be watching _you _tomorrow, Yugi. It won't look good if you're half asleep and yawning in the welcoming ceremony."

Yugi nodded, "I'll try" then he turned to Jounochi to ask something that he was curious about. "What was in those boxes?"

"Just bags of food in th'ones we were in." Jounochi wrinkled his nose.

_That makes sense; we'll have to have food if we camp out on the island all week._

"You wanted my help Jounochi?" Yugi asked, and received a blank look.

"With your deck." He added.

Jounochi's face cleared. "Yeah! I got everythin' I want in, but there's some space left in th'deck an' I was wonderin'if I had anythin' that'd _use_ it, ya know? Cards that'd be useful, not jus' filler."

Yugi smiled. "Let's take a look then."

_Putting aside the way he acts, Jounochi has sure come a long way in a very short amount of time.

* * *

_

Seto Kaiba hid his boat in a cave at the base of the cliff that was too convenient to be natural. He glanced at his hands, and then away because the pain seemed to lessen if he did not look directly at the bleeding, salt water covered cuts.

_Damn. I am going to have to stay here for a while._

This whole situation was something he had only vaguely planned for, as its probability was very slight. Or so he had thought.

He was berating himself now though. Seto thought he should have figured that Pegasus would not send someone to live in his house without a reason. Now, with Mokuba missing after Otogi flew off, it looked like Pegasus had planned a neat kidnapping.

The Big Five were behind this one. Seto had neatly escaped from the suits that used to be his security guards. It had taken a quick well practiced manoeuvre of jumping into the always ready boat, then pulling it into the cave. A little blood on the sharp rocks below the cliff should seal the deal.

There was only one point in this whole operation he was unhappy with.

_They know about the secret passage in my control room now. Damn._

Seto looked at the open briefcase beside him which contained the first commercially made duelling disk and a walkie-talkie tuned to the agreed upon secure frequency. The idiots hadn't thought of changing it, but then it was the tiny details that seemed to escape the big thinkers of Seto's board of directors.

_They haven't reported the passage, good. When I get back to the land of the living, I'll have to make sure they never do._

But that was a problem for later. Right now, Seto had no window of opportunity in which to take this boat down the coast to town. They didn't know he had a boat. They'd be coming down here to look for his body.

Seto pushed the boat near the cave wall and pressed a piece of cliff. A giant door made of natural rock swung closed and the cave was plunged into darkness. He navigated by keeping one hand on the wall, and steered the boat through the passage.

_I'll have to land at the Domino docks. I can't do that until nightfall, when the fog rolls in – Pegasus has his ship there today taking duellists to his tournament. It's bound to have a team of suits around it._

Still, it wasn't like Seto could arrive at the island without a plan or finding out what Pegasus was really up to. He figured he'd have to make his way to the arcade – a taxi would do. The way was clear – all the reporters would be at his house to hear the tragic news that he was dead, and all the duellists would be either going to Pegasus's tournament or watching it at home. Ludo would put him up for a bit until he formed a plan.

Pegasus had wanted him to come play in the tournament. _Why? Why the tournament? Why did he side with them – they were against his big break; the creation of Duel Monsters._

The Big Five had never actually supported the idea of launching a game, any game, and during the reign of Gozaburo Kaiba, the issue had come up only once. Pegasus had presented the idea to Gozaburo at home, for the two had known each other well enough for Pegasus to dine 'with the family' every once in a while.

Seto had always suspected that they had known each other better than either of them let on. But regardless of any personal connection, Gozaburo rejected the idea on the spot, making the small allowance of letting Pegasus propose the idea to his board. Naturally, it went nowhere.

Seto had liked the proposal as it was almost guaranteed to succeed for a myriad of reasons, not in the least because there had never before been a card game like it. So, after the death of Gozaburo Kaiba and the following police investigation, Seto had signed a deal with Pegasus and the latter had started Industrial Illusions. This was done, ignoring the protests of the Big Five – a policy Seto had adhered to from then on.

Now, they wanted Mokuba because he was too young, even though he inherited Seto's position as CEO to make any decisions about the company. Technically, so was Seto, and he had never let that stop him, but Mokuba was different. He was conscientious, responsible, he would step aside.

They had underestimated Seto, and thought it would be funny to let a kid CEO actually try to do the job his foster father left him – to take over the running of the company. They knew better now. Mokuba would be given the choice to rule the company the way they wanted, or… _Well, it wouldn't be an issue._

But Mokuba would grow up eventually, so there had to be a plan to deal with that.

_And I can't get rid of them until I turn eighteen. _

Seto smirked. _This should be interesting.

* * *

_

Ryou Bakura or rather, Bakura sat in the darkened room, the only light being that of the moon filtering in through the thick curtain over the porthole. There was a double bed behind him, but he lounged in the armchair, one of two and waited.

He was wearing Ryou's comfort clothes out of necessity, not because of any sympathy he might have felt towards his shy host who was having his first solo trip away from home. After all, the jumper was pure wool and itched like crazy wherever it made contact with bare skin.

_Where is he?_

_This is the room I would choose if I were him; there isn't much furniture, but what's there is first class. _

_I wonder if he notices that he's a snob. I suppose it's not the time to point it out._

Bakura chuckled in the darkness. Marik was going to have a fit as it was.

Right on cue, as if this was a well rehearsed play, the door opened and closed, the warm light going as soon as it had appeared.

Where nobody else would have, Bakura heard the patter of bare feet on carpet, and the unmistakeable, barely audible whisper of gold.

Bakura felt, rather than saw someone move to sit in the armchair across from this one, both being half turned to the porthole. The dark shape was familiar.

He had easily been able to hear through the background of waves splashing against the hull, where others would have had to strain their ears, something rustling in the hands of the dark shape…

…Bakura got up, drew the curtain aside, then sat down to face the other boy. Brown paper wrapping, hanging off it, the Senn Rod was almost unidentifiable in the boy's hand.

_I see Shadi decided that Malik needs his destiny on this trip. _

Rashid had been a very useful source of information regarding the mysterious Guardian.

_It never ceases to amaze me how _soft_ the people surrounding Malik seem to be, _every_ lifetime._

Bakura glanced at the Rod, and then at the boy as the rod vanished, disintegrating the brown paper.

Marik grinned, and then stretched. "Ah, it's good to be back."

Bakura grinned to match. "It's good to have you back."

_At the moment but not for long I expect._

Bakura waited for the other to rifle through Malik's memory, and as he had anticipated, very quickly, Marik's face clouded over, anger plainly written across it, radiating out of his shimmering eyes.

The second grin came but it wasn't nearly as nice. "You could at least have the decency to look ashamed." Came out as a low growl.

Bakura shrugged. _Isn't jealousy grand._ "I'm not."

Marik's eyes widened, then the grin turned maniacal – a sure sign of great pain. "I take it a lot has changed since I left." He said lightly.

"Get out!" Marik barked out the order suddenly, startling Bakura. He showed no reaction, but his heart skipped a beat, and the room suddenly got a lot more tense.

They stood simultaneously and slowly, Marik was still grinning, and Bakura was getting his heart rate under control.

_Wow. Marik must _really_ care. I haven't seen him lose it like this, well, _ever._ He usually just runs away. The only comparison I can make is that memory I saw of Malik's dad's murder._

Bakura smirked, and stepped up to lay a hand on Marik's shoulder, eyes glittering. Bakura was hurt but he was still having wicked fun playing his advantage for an admission of some sort. "Relax, will you?"

Marik's grin was still fixed, but his eye started to twitch. "Don't worry." He said maliciously and sweetly. "_I _won't interfere. _I_ just don't want to have to _see_ you. Get. Out."

His hands were clenched in fists, and Bakura thought it wise to let go of the boy's shoulder as he was starting to shake with the effort of holding his expression in that fixed grin.

There was room for one more try. "Marik." Bakura said, in the tone of someone reasoning with a misbehaving child.

"Out!" Marik yelled, stamping his foot, pointing at the door. His expression was now, that of an angry child – his other hand was on his hip and he was actually glaring at Bakura.

Bakura stepped back and bowed to hide the smile he was fighting to control. _So cute! _"Your wish, my lord."

But as soon as he left, the seriousness of the situation finally got to him and he sighed.

_It's always like this with him. He's so… he plays around so much you can't tell if he's being serious. No. He's always half serious, and that's the problem. The other half's a joke and much more fun to pay attention to, so by the time he's figured out he means it, it's out and there is no time, none, to signal to everybody else that this really _is_ important. Ha! And _he's _the mind reader._

_Still._ Bakura smirked and started whistling as he walked away to the helicopter pad on the top of the ship, where Otogi had dropped him off, and was waiting to pick him up while _Ryou_ says 'hi' to a friend. _You can't call him boring.

* * *

_

Malik Ishtar grinned when he spotted his worried friends ahead of him as he walked from the ship onto the island in a stream of eager duellists, having just collected his allocated rations for the first couple of days.

As they were all herded in a long train towards the castle by implacable suits, he managed to weave his way through the crowd to the others.

"Hi guys!" He greeted them with a grin. They turned and all greeted him looking slightly relieved.

All, that is, except for Jounochi. The boy had been a bit startled by the fact that Malik had walked up right behind him. "Don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack."

Malik cocked his head at Jounochi and smiled. "Don't worry about being spotted as stowaways. There are too many duellists, and lots of them are ones I don't know. They can't possibly keep track of who is and who isn't supposed to be here."

Honda smiled. "Look at you, Mr. Sunshine. We were worried that you'd fallen into the ocean or something."

Malik laughed and stretched. "Nah, I just went off to get some sleep."

Anzu smiled from beside Mai, the two girls walking hand in hand. "I suggested that – it's a good idea to get enough rest before a tournament but we were all too nervous to sleep."

Jounochi bridled at that comment. "Hah! I wasn't nervous at all."

Yugi shook his head and Honda grinned, replying, "Yeah? So how come you didn't get any sleep either?"

Jounochi thought about it for a second. "I was excited. Yeah, that was it."

"Riiight." Came Honda's mocking reply.

Just as Jounochi was about to object, the stream spilled out onto stairs leading to a courtyard in front of the stunning fairy-tale castle. Jounochi now turned his attention to grumbling about having to climb endless stairs, as everyone else admired what they could see of the castle's towers.

Malik tore his eyes away from the spectacle to glance at Anzu, whose frown had caught his attention. Anzu was not the type of person who frowned easily. She worried, but she didn't frown. However, right now she was indeed frowning, and as Malik followed the direction of her gaze, his heart skipped a beat.

_I could have sworn I just saw a glimpse Ryou disappearing into a secret passage in the mountain beneath the castle!_

Malik looked at Anzu, who was whispering something to Mai. Mai then looked over to where the vision of Ryou had been and then looked back at Anzu, shaking her head.

"I could have sworn…" Malik barely heard Anzu say.

Mai interrupted, putting her hand on Anzu's forehead for a couple of seconds. "Maybe you did. Anyway, it's a private island. It'd make sense if he was a guest."

Anzu thought for a moment and nodded, smiling. "That sounds reasonable."

Mai nodded, returning the smile. "Glad we got that sorted out."

They reached the top of the stairs and spilled out onto the courtyard, taking up good viewing positions in front of a conspicuous looking balcony above a pair of huge gates.

Mai turned to Anzu, continuing the conversation. "Now don't let anything distract you from enjoying this tournament. Remember the plan – we pick our battles. All you should be worrying your pretty little head about is kicking gullible male butt."

Anzu shook her head. "That's cruel, Mai."

Mai noticed Malik watching and winked at him. "That is an established strategy."

Anzu looked at Malik, who nodded. "Nice plan."

Mai smiled. "And you?"

_Finally, room to practice. I think it's time to find out what this Senn Rod is supposed to do._

Malik grinned. "I've got something I want to try out. I'm going alone."

Mai nodded. "Mmm. For ours to work we'll have to separate from Yugi and the others too."

Just then a hush settled over the crowd as everyone looked up to see their host Maxemillion Pegasus resplendent in his red tuxedo give a small speech about there being many hidden duel arenas on the island and lots of surprises in store. He also said that you needed ten starchips to get to the castle to duel in the finals held on Halloween.

As an afterthought, he had added that the tournament would start as soon as the fireworks went off at midday. When he finished, people moved off to friendship groups (those who had them) to work out their strategies.

Yugi, Honda and Jounochi materialized out of the mass of moving people, to stand next to Malik, Anzu and Mai.

Anzu smiled. "Hi guys. So what's the plan?"

Yugi nodded to where Weevil Underwood was standing. "I want to duel him. _Grandpa_ gave me Exodia."

Jounochi grinned. "Yeah. I'm with ya Yugi. Let's get some revenge."

Yugi shook his head, serious. "It's not that, or not just that. I'd like to see if I can win a tournament duel without depending on just one monster. Grandpa said that a true duellist believes in every card in his deck and every card should form an important part of two or more winning strategies."

Then he smiled. "And he always said that I shouldn't 'stand around lollygagging.'"

Malik grinned. "Here, here! We should get moving if we want to be in place before the tournament starts."

Honda looked over at Malik. "You're not sticking around?"

Malik shook his head and Mai nodded, hand on Anzu's shoulder. "We'll get more chips if we split up. We can meet up at the castle gates by sunset the day before Halloween."

Yugi smiled. "Alright."

Honda nodded. "We want to do this properly. Let's designate zones."

Malik smirked. "Sure, how'll we do that without a compass?"

Honda frowned but Mai smiled. "Well, I did a little digging and there are all different terrains on this island."

_I see. Funny sort of island, there has to be a reason for it._

Malik smiled. "You pick the ones you want."

Honda nodded. "We'll want the area around the castle. It looks like Weevil's sticking around."

Mai shrugged. "Sure. That'll be grassland, and knowing Weevil, forest. D'you want the beach, Malik?"

Malik shook his head. "I'd rather just get the desert. Only serious duellist would go there."

Mai smiled. "Serious, huh? Head past the castle and keep going you can't miss it."

Malik nodded.

Mai turned to Yugi. "We'll take the beach then, and the mountains. If you hit them you know you've gone too far."

Yugi nodded.

Jounochi rolled his eyes. "Why do girls always go for beaches? What if I wanna go for a swim?"

Anzu smiled. "We're not saying you can't Jounochi. Just that we'll spend _most_ of the time in our designated areas. That way we all get an equal chance at getting ten starchips."

Mai smirked. "Yeah, twit." And before he could reply, she turned to Malik. "The desert's right next to the wasteland, so you can have that too. I doubt anyone would go there if they didn't know what they were doing."

Malik grinned. "I can deal with that."

He glanced at the sky, then the shadows on the ground. "We should go if we expect to get there before noon."

Mai nodded, taking Anzu's hand. "Alright, then we'll see you at the castle, Yugi." As they walked off, Malik heard Mai ask Anzu if she'd like to just spend the day tanning.

He grinned, nodded to Honda and the fuming Jounochi. Said 'have fun' to Yugi, then set off for the desert at a relaxed jog.

_Just because the tournament hasn't started yet doesn't mean I can't put my plan into action._

* * *

Yugi sighed with relief and a hint of sadness as he watched Maco Tsunami walk off dejectedly, with a suit in tow, having just lost all his starchips.

Honda put two of the starchips into a glove he had appropriated along the way, and Jounochi followed suit, putting the other two into the glove of Rex Raptor, that was acquired after the latter had lost his last starchip in their duel.

The boys had wagered all of their combined starchips on Honda's duel against Maco, which may or may not have been allowed, but was an opportunity too good to pass up for Maco. It had been Jounochi's idea, and Yugi wished he had thought of it earlier.

Yugi had unfortunately not been able to kick Weevil out of the tournament because in the duel he won, he had had only one starchip to wager to Weevil's two. But he was hopeful that somebody else would have that pleasure.

_Well that duel was exciting. I didn't know Honda had it in him to beat such an amazing duellist. But then he had been practicing against all of us since the last tournament._

"Well that was excitin'!" echoed Jounochi, hitting Honda's back. "I didn't know you had it in ya!"

"Then why did you bet all your starchips, dumbass?" Asked Honda, laughing as Jounochi couldn't think of a comeback.

Before it could turn into a wrestling match, Yugi pointed out something that had been nagging him. "Guys, we have only four starchips each, and two days, at the end of which we have to meet up with the others at the castle. That's today and tomorrow to more than double the starchips we have."

"You sayin' we can't do it?" asked Jounochi defiantly.

Yugi shook his head. "No, we can I think. I beat Weevil and that strange boy that Mai sent."

Jounochi nodded sagely. "Freaky kid. Pervert probably."

Yugi continued. "You beat Rex Raptor again Jounochi and he is the Regional champion."

Jounochi grinned and Honda shrugged. "He doesn't have his Red-Eyes anymore."

Jounochi objected and Yugi pressed on before a fight could break out. "You beat that bizarre boy Bones that tried to steal your starchips and Maco Tsunami, Honda, and they were not pushovers."

Honda smirked. "It was pretty close though."

Jounochi frowned. "Then if you're sayin' we're this good, what's your point?"

Yugi smiled. "That we shouldn't be standing around talking."

Jounochi smirked. "Well, let's go then!"

Yugi and his two companions must still have been a little startled by the sudden way the hidden duelling arenas appeared, because they carefully avoided the place where the duel had happened, leaving the beach to go back to the forest.

They had walked a fair way away from the castle in a couple of days, and considering all the distractions and detours that they'd made, Yugi thought it was a good idea to start heading back. They had strayed to the beach, mainly because Jounochi had decided to show Mai that she couldn't get away with bossing people around.

_It was nice of her to give us the zones closest to the castle. Both the girls and Malik will have to make extra time for the journey back._

Yugi tuned into the conversation as they left the beach and headed back through the forest.

"Kaiba's probably run away scared that Yugi'll beat him again."

"No, I'd say he's planning a comeback. He's still the highest ranking duellist, so there's no point for him to come to an exclusive tournament – there are no reporters."

"Yeah. He'd die if he wasn't on the cover of a magazine every fortnight."

Honda smiled. "Nah, are you sure we're still talking about Kaiba?"

"Hey!"

Jounochi threw a punch at Honda's head. It was blocked with ease, but Honda failed to notice the second one aimed at his stomach. As he doubled over, he managed to say that in a fair fight, you didn't hit people when they were distracted.

Jounochi pointed out that he had gotten what he deserved and that was as fair as it got, however Yugi looked in the direction Honda had been looking in when he was hit.

There was a little kid in blue sneakers, jeans, horizontally striped blue and white sweater, blue beanie, wearing a red bandana, running through the forest. Hot on his heels, were two suits. The kid looked over and spotted Yugi, and chanced direction, running straight for him.

The kid stopped and doubled over, panting. Yugi noted that the kid in the bandana had long black hair, as he stood right in front of their group. The hair really confused the situation – it could have been a girl or a boy.

"Yugi Moto, I challenge you to a duel." The kid managed to say, voice ragged from the sprint.

The suits stepped up behind the kid, one putting his hand on the kid's shoulder. "As a guest of Mr. Pegasus, you are not allowed to participate in the tournament. Please return to the castle before you are mistakenly taken off the island for having no starchips."

The kid shrugged the hand off, stating venomously, blue eyes glaring at Yugi. "I don't want to be in this stupid tournament. I just want my brother back."

_Why does this kid hate me so much? How is duelling me going to bring someone back? From where?_

Amongst all these questions, running through Yugi's head, one thought stood out the most.

_I wouldn't mind a duel, I haven't had one all day._

"What happened to your brother?" Asked Yugi, taking his deck out of his pocket.

"Yeah, why'd you think Yugi had somethin' to do with it?" Asked Jounochi, stepping up beside Yugi.

The boy, for it turned out to be a boy, took off his bandana and beanie. He had tears in his eyes, but if anything, it made his glare worse. "I am Mokuba Kaiba. Because of you, Yugi, my brother is dead. You defeated him, and he retreated into himself. It's what he always does when he has something on his mind, but Kaiba Corp. directors saw it as a sign of weakness. They made their move, and now I am a prisoner and my brother is dead.

"You helped them, Yugi, how much did they pay you?" Before Yugi could reply, the boy shook his head, disregarding the comment. "Anyway, I want a rematch to do what he planned but no longer can and to show that the head of my brother's Kaiba Corp. is always the best at everything he does."

Yugi was chilled to the bone by the angry blue stare that reminded him so much of the cold blue one he was used to receiving at school. _Seto Kaiba? Dead?_

All three boys looked at the suits for some kind of confirmation of this mind blowing speech. One of the suits smiled at Mokuba, putting his hand once again on the boy's shoulder, and there was pain in Mokuba's eyes. "Now, now, Mr. Kaiba, you've had a trying day."

He turned to the gang. "You must excuse him; he is taking the disappearance of his brother very hard."

Then he pulled Mokuba back by the shoulder. "I am sorry _Sir_, but we have orders to take you back to the castle, a scene could be embarrassing for the company and that is the last thing it needs at this juncture. I am sure your brother will return, after what can only be a well deserved rest."

Mokuba tried to shrug off the hand, but this time it wouldn't budge. His eyes turned pleadingly to Jounochi, then Honda and finally stopped at Yugi. Yugi didn't know what to say or do, and he wanted to do something – it was almost physically painful to stand still. But both versions of the story sounded plausible, though Mokuba's was a little more far fetched. Mokuba looked at the suits and nodded dejectedly, letting them lead him away.

_What should I do? Heart of the cards, don't fail me._

Yugi gripped his deck, heart pounding in his ears, as Jounochi and Honda exchanged meaningful glances. Jounochi signed that Mokuba was crazy but Honda shook his head.

_Seto Kaiba wouldn't just up and leave, something must have happened. What if Mokuba's right? What if whatever hell he is going through is my fault?_

"Wait!" Yugi called, having come to no decision whatsoever, feeling like an idiot, but at the same time knowing that if he let this pass, he'd feel like a man conned out of his last duel monsters card. "Mokuba said he wanted a duel as a rematch of his brother's. I accept his challenge."

Mokuba looked back, smiling for the first time since Yugi had seen him. The suit beside him, stopped. The other suit cocked his head at Yugi. "There is a person who is better qualified to duel for the image of Kaiba Corp. If you really want, I can arrange a duel with him."

Jounochi snorted.

"Better qualified?" Honda enquired.

The suit nodded, grinning a shade unpleasantly as his partner prepared to take Mokuba away. "For one thing, he has a deck, as for the other… you'll just have to come and see."

Yugi swallowed. It definitely sounded suspicious, but there was nothing for it if he wanted to prove to Mokuba that he wasn't one of the bad guys.

_I did say I wanted a duel, and at the very least, it should be good practice. _

Honda put a hand on Yugi's shoulder as the former was about to reply. "Yugi, don't forget the prizes."

Yugi looked up, and saw Jounochi, nodding in agreement, a strange light in his glittering blue eyes. "They're not nice guys Yugi. The kid's ok, he's just confused. Take 'em to the cleaners."

Yugi smiled, and then looked at the waiting suit. "If you win, you get the honour of Kaiba Corp. Wouldn't it be fair if I got something for winning too?"

The suit looked at Yugi condescendingly. "You? Win?" Then there was the sound of someone talking in his earpiece, and he pressed a hand to his ear to hear it better. He looked at Yugi. "Within reason, kid."

Yugi nodded. "If I win, Mokuba is free to go."

Mokuba's smile widened into a puzzled grin. The suit beside him, started to lead him away again.

The other suit nodded, pointing. "Meet us at ten in the morning. Behind the castle, over there, where the mountains meet the forest, there is a cave. Big cave, you can't miss it. There is a duelling arena inside."

Yugi nodded. "We'll be there."

* * *

Seto sat on the comfy couch in the empty, closed arcade, in front of the duelling screen which was tuned to the very small glimpses afforded to the press of the exclusive tournament. Mostly, the commentators just kept feeding the public information every once in a while about anyone important that was out of the tournament. There were also interviews with some of the lesser known duellists about what was happening.

The answer was the same. Nobody knew very much. Seto didn't care.

He sipped his coffee, and happily watched the press struggle with the slivers of information they were being fed at irregular intervals. That was one thing you were guaranteed when dealing with Pegasus, near absolute chaos.

After a little bit of digging, and Ludo's 'persuasiveness', Seto had found out that the Big Five had something big over Pegasus's head, and that the police could soon be reopening the Gozaburo Kaiba case. It was blackmail, pure and simple.

_Pegasus would never take the fall for that fiasco. He must be planning something to deal with whatever evidence the Big Five have. And meanwhile I have to deal with the fallout._

And whether he was only pretending to go along with the plot or not, Pegasus never did things by halves. For instance, it was clear to Seto now, that the only way he could get Mokuba back and find out what the Big Five's backup plan was for when his brother came of age, was to go to the island.

_He did invite me to the tournament. He must have known I was planning my own. He must have known I would say 'no' and end up in this situation, and then it would be a hint as to what should be done to make the Big Five fail in their plan that I would only learn about late enough so that Pegasus could counter their blackmail…_

_No. Stop right there._

The trouble with Pegasus was that everything he did could always be seen as having a hidden and sinister purpose. Seto maintained that even he himself couldn't statistically be that good every time, always have a plan in the works, always manage to push the exact right buttons – it wasn't humanly possible even for a genius.

_No. He must have just wanted to invite me… because he is Pegasus._

Seto would humour that nut job just this once; it wasn't like their plans didn't coincide. Besides, he had his deck and if he came across Yugi Moto, it would be beneficial if he could have a practice rematch before he did it in front of millions of TV viewers. Seto Kaiba was never scared, just practical.

Seto smirked. _I suppose it wasn't for nothing that I designed the security system on that island._

_Wait. Pegasus couldn't have known back then…_

"Damn." Seto thumped the off button on the remote with his right hand and downed the rest of the coffee in the cup held in his left. He nodded to Ludo, who was standing still in the corner staring into space like he could do it all day, and left for a helicopter he had ordered to the roof of the arcade, with a couple of parting thoughts.

_One day, Pegasus, there'll be someone who will pin you down, someone you can't fool into thinking you're more than you really are. _I _have better things to do._

* * *

Ryou was sitting in his regular outfit on a stone altar in a small hidden indoor garden in the fairy-tale castle, feeling very much out of place. He had been sitting there for quite a bit now; it had become something of a habit, to retire here after Tea.

Tea was very much a ritual at Pegasus's, one that began at four o'clock. Those who had returned from it had found it to be reminiscent of tea with the Mad Hatter in 'Alice In Wonderland'. Pegasus's favourite cartoon character was in attendance on the ornate crockery, made especially for this ceremony, and everybody was forewarned that there would be no serious conversations at Tea.

Otogi strolled up, and in one movement, slumped down beside him.

"So that's where you disappear to." He said contentedly, lying down on the altar. "It's very pretty, I've never been to this part of the castle before."

Ryou smiled politely, although he was annoyed at the intrusion. Otogi had the tendency, he had noticed, of always making you very aware of his presence. Right now, he was wearing a red sleeveless shirt, with the word 'blood' written on it in drooping black, wet-looking letters, with black jeans.

The point was that even now he managed to clash with the soft blue lights by the stone walls and in the water features, not to mention, the lush green plants that gave meaning to the words 'fairy garden' written on the door.

Otogi interpreted the silence correctly. "If you want to blame anyone for giving away your little secret, blame Croquet."

Otogi sat up, wrapping his arms around one knee, and Ryou felt eyes staring at one side of his face. Ryou looked at his well worn jeans, and some of his hair fell, to block Otogi's view.

"I am sorry if I'm being rude, I just like to be alone every once in a while."

"Hm." Otogi sounded amused. "A while is the right word. It's almost ten; you've been here for five hours straight, unless that was _you_ taking out the helicopter."

Ryou looked up and through locks of snow white hair saw Otogi's inquiring stare. He shook his head, eyes wide with surprise. "Five hours?"

_It didn't _feel _like five hours._

"Mmm." Otogi nodded. "Right after Pegasus is very mysterious and locks you both in his study for a chat, you disappear, and somebody takes out the helicopter." Otogi said, with a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye.

_I don't remember that. Why don't I remember that? But if I don't remember, then for all I know, I might have simply had a chat, and then went out here to recover from Tea. Pegasus is indeed very strange, it could have been nothing at all._

Ryou looked at his hands, clasped in his lap and forced them to relax. "I…" He began but Otogi interrupted, lying down again.

"Fine, be mysterious, I don't care." He said light heartedly, leaving Ryou unsure whether he really meant it or not. "Maybe you're right, you could have been here. After all, you should know, and that wasn't really why I came out to find you."

Ryou looked at the lounging Otogi, deciding that the boy was being honest. "Why did you come?"

Otogi shrugged. "Pegasus got bored. We missed you at dinner, and he asked me to go find you."

Ryou nodded and stood up. "Shall we go then?"

Otogi raised an eyebrow. "Go? Why? Did you get sick of the garden or something?"

Ryou answered with polite surprise. "But Pegasus asked for me, he is our host, and…"

Otogi raised a hand to forestall the completion of the sentence, smirking. "Pegasus always means exactly what he says. He said I should find you, and I've done that. Job well done if I do say so myself."

Ryou smiled a little worried smile. "Are you sure that is what he really meant?"

Otogi nodded, grinning. "Trust me." He said in the most sinister voice Ryou had ever heard.

_Why does Pegasus take such an interest? I am just an acquaintance of Otogi's, but he always…_

Ryou thought back to all the knowing little looks and smiles that Pegasus gave him. To be fair, Pegasus tended to give them to everybody, but with Croquet it was some long standing private joke about 'a princess in the tower', and with Otogi it was mainly about what the boy thought of the girls in his new neighbourhood and the antics of Seto Kaiba. It bothered Ryou that Pegasus never actually asked him about anything.

_Apart from that 'chat' that I don't remember. _

Suddenly, Ryou had a stunning flashback to the time he had woken up to find Malik in his shower. He quickly tried in vain to stop the image substitution of Malik for Pegasus.

_Oh please anything but that!_

"Ryou!" Otogi brought him out of his reverie. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." He said worriedly, sitting on the edge of the altar.

Ryou looked at Otogi, stunned.

_I need to go outside. Fresh. Air. Have to breathe._

He managed to make himself speak, and walk, not run towards the door. "I think I just need some fresh air." Otogi smirked and lay back down.

As he picked up his pace, walking away from Otogi, he heard the boy call out. "Hey! You sure you don't want to tell me what's got you spooked? You never know, it might help!"

Ryou stopped, then decided to err on the side of caution and _not_ go to the insane asylum. "I just need a walk, that's all." He called back, walking towards the door.

As the door closed, he could hear a very sarcastic. "Yeah, sure."

He made his way down to a secret door at the base of the castle via a very familiar route, nodding to servants and suits alike. The lower he got, the less people and the more security cameras there were, until in the lowest corridors, there were only the very quietly humming cameras.

When he got outside and shut the piece of cliff face behind him, Ryou sighed.

He looked around the moonlit forest and set off along the mountainside. Ryou didn't quite trust himself well enough to not get completely lost if he wandered too far from the castle. But he could feel the fresh air doing him some good and was soon completely lost to the world, debating whether or not he wanted to see Malik compete in the finals.

Ryou, hands in his pockets and eyes on the ground, failed to notice the campfire until he was almost on top of it.

Startled out of his thoughts by the light, he looked up to see the faces of Yugi, Honda, Jounochi, Mai and Anzu looking up at him. He felt his heart speed up, while Anzu nudged Mai and threw her a meaningful look.

"Hello." Ryou said, bowing. "I am sorry to intrude." At the same time, he counted the number of sleeping bags on the ground. There were only two – one for each of the girls. He expected Malik to have one, and a pang of disappointment hit him when he saw no third.

_It makes sense of course. Malik comes from Egypt, I expect he would be very cold sleeping outdoors, and with the type of clothes he prefers, not that I've seen him wearing much to be able to judge well, _Ryou blushed slightly at the thought, _it makes sense that he would have a sleeping bag. _

_Funny how all these reasons came to me only after I made the assumption though._

But his worrying thoughts were interrupted by the unrelenting flow of life.

"Don't worry about it." Said Yugi smiling. "Please sit down."

Ryou only knew Yugi and his friends from school and not very well at that. Yugi was reputedly very nice and smart and so was Anzu. The other two boys, though, Honda and… Jounochi, had the reputation of guys you don't want to cross, them being reformed bullies, though they had only ever really bullied Yugi. The blonde girl, he didn't know.

He smiled politely, and finally felt how cold the night really was, which quickly solved the dilemma of how to extricate himself – he wouldn't.

"Thankyou." Ryou said, sitting down near the fire, in the gap between Yugi and Anzu. He was a little uncomfortable but crossed his legs and looked at Yugi, politely smiling. "It is a very cold night."

Anzu voiced something she had clearly wanted to say for a while. "It _was_ you I saw the day we arrived then."

Ryou turned to her and nodded. "It very well could have been, I arrived the day before."

"Whatcha doin' here?" Asked Jounochi, glaring suspiciously.

Ryou sweatdropped, smiling, feeling slightly scared of the two bigger boys looking at him over the fire. "I am a guest of Maxemillion Pegasus."

"Hm. Why does that sound familiar?" The blonde said sharply, but quickly softened the comment with a smile. "I'm Mai, by the way. I understand that you're Ryou."

Ryou nodded. "Yes. Ryou Bakura, pleased to meet you."

Mai grinned. "Polite, wow. We don't meet many like you nowadays."

Ryou, not knowing what she meant by the 'we' or who they regularly met, just smiled and took it as the compliment it was probably meant to be. "Thankyou."

Mai laughed – a clear and happy laugh. "You know, you're worse than Anzu. Maybe _you_ can explain to her that being beaten by an Eliminator, doesn't disqualify you if _someone_ goes and beats the sucker and gets your starchips back."

Ryou was suddenly glad for his own courtesy and the little run down of the tournament that Pegasus had decided to give them at dinner the day they arrived here, despite loud protests from a cranky and tired Otogi. If he had not listened, then at this moment, he would have been completely lost at sea.

Ryou looked at a clearly irritated Anzu, then back at Mai. "Well, technically, the tournament was designed to pick out the best duellists. If you lost, and had a chance to undo it, the right thing to do, morally would be to decline and let the tournament progress as it was meant to do."

"Where is Malik when you need him, _he_ isn't one to go on about morals. Fine, have it your way." Mai shook her head in resignation, and a smiling Anzu mouthed 'thankyou'.

Ryou smiled, silently agreeing with Mai about Malik.

Jounochi must have been feeling left out because he decided to contribute. "If you don't need 'em, I'll take the starchips, Mai."

Mai stood up. "Ha. Not on your life, Jounochi. I'm going to hold onto these to make sure enough for _both_ of us to get into the finals."

Anzu looked up, sadly. "Mai…"

But Mai shook her head and smiled at Anzu. "You can do whatever you want, don't take them or do – it's your choice. Let me make mine. You might still change your mind, there are still a couple of days to think about it."

As Anzu opened her mouth to argue, Mai put up her hand to forestall her. "If you want them back anytime, just say so. But that's it. We won't talk about it anymore. Agreed?"

Anzu smiled happily, and took Mai's offered hand to help her stand up. "Agreed."

"Where are you off to?" Honda spoke for the first time in a while, startling Ryou.

"Tomorrow, the two of us are going right back up this mountain. But tonight…" Mai surveyed the boys sitting around the fire. "You might not believe in hygiene, but _we_ like to take a shower before bed." Then she turned around and walked to where the bags lay, to start setting things up.

Anzu smiled down at Ryou and Yugi. "I don't think she meant you two." Then she went off to help Mai.

Jounochi crossed his arms, annoyance etched into his face. "Who's she callin' dirty? I washed today as a matter of fact."

Honda nodded, with a look of deep philosophical understanding. "I see, yes, it is easy to mistake being doused by seawater for a shower if you just have one every two months."

"Hey! She meant you too!" Shouted Jounochi in lieu of a battle cry, before attacking Honda. He countered easily, pinning Jounochi; face on the ground, one hand in a painful position behind his back.

Yugi smiled, and sweatdropped. "Sorry about them, but they're a bit nervous about us not having enough starchips yet."

Ryou nodded politely, as Honda could be heard saying: "Sometimes, you really are an asshole. Yugi has a duel tomorrow with some tough guy in the freaky cave and all you can think about is what some girl you have a thing for, calls you."

Ryou looked at the barely visible cave, then at Yugi, as Jounochi exploded into vehement denial of liking Mai. "That cave entrance really doesn't look safe."

Yugi nodded, his reputation confirmed. "My thoughts exactly. The rocks above the entrance could cause a landslide easily and that would block the only way out. It wouldn't take much if someone wanted to lay a trap."

Ryou looked at the cave. "Are they likely to?"

Yugi smiled, his face lit by the firelight that danced also in his vermillion eyes. "I don't know. They might be if they lose – they were pretty confident."

Ryou nodded. That did make an ambush more likely – duelling seemed to him to be a very brutal game, especially when not televised.

_There is a solution, this boy is Malik's friend, and he seems like a good person. Besides, it isn't a secret and it is only right that I should help any way I can…_

He looked at Yugi. "Perhaps I could help. If there _is_ a landslide, don't try to dig your way out, it will take too long, especially if you are short on starchips. Mr. Pegasus made a contingency for anyone who may be stuck in one of the couple of caves around this area.

"Follow the cave deeper. You should end up in a passage lit by the occasional torch, supposedly it goes right under the castle, and if you can get through, it should lead you, like any of the others I heard about, to an exit near the entrance to the castle."

Yugi coked his head in the firelight. "_If _we get through?"

Ryou nodded. "There are guards apparently, and a riddle. It is one of the secrets on this island, but the guards should have starchips from all the duellists to go down there. Not that I imagine many would, but it is preferable to digging through dirt and rock I think."

Yugi smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Do you duel?"

Ryou smiled politely. "A little, I'm not very good though."

Yugi shook his head. "I heard that you almost made the finals last tournament."

_Malik._ Ryou nodded, blushing from the implied fact that Malik talked about him to his friends.

Yugi smiled. "Then you should give yourself more credit. I would like a practice duel for tomorrow, and duelling somebody for the first time is always a learning curve."…

…Knowing that in the firelight Ryou's green eyes and his red looked brown, Bakura smiled politely. "If you insist. If I may ask, what is your favourite card?"

"The Dark Magician." Said Yugi, without giving it much thought. "What's yours?"

"Change of Heart." Said Bakura as Mai and Anzu returned, and Jounochi and Honda finally resolved their grievances

He turned to the others. "Yugi and I are going to duel. Would you like to make it interesting and add your most favourite cards to his deck? Just for fun."

Mai frowned, but the others agreed that it would be fun and she added her harpy lady along with the others.

Bakura smiled happily at her. This reminded him of his favourite line from a movie that Malik had brought over once for them to watch. Marik would have loved it.

_All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy._

* * *

Malik lay back on the sand beside a small campfire. Resting his head on his hands, cosy in his sleeping bag, he looked at the clear night sky.

_Look at all those starchips in the sky._

Malik smiled. He had acquired eighteen starchips and it was almost time to leave for the castle – _Halloween is the day after tomorrow._

The hard sand didn't bother him anymore and he had even gotten used to catching his own food and finding water. Malik was comfortable in the desert – it reminded him of home, only with the added luxury of space and freedom.

Malik had seen some duellists thrown off the island in the last couple of days – it turned out Pegasus had a 'you lose, you leave' policy. Many of them had lost to him.

He had a strategy which involved putting all but two starchips in his pocket before duelling. That way his opponent also bet two to eliminate his competition. Then, it was just a matter of three duels a day. And he never lost.

_I suppose it's a little unfair having two god cards in my deck._

Malik's smile widened as he thought back to some of the stunts his opponents had pulled in order to win.

_Then again, maybe not._

After all, he had not used his Senn Rod to aid him, which was extremely charitable on his part.

It had only taken all of the initial day to learn how to use the Senn Rod, which surprised Malik a great deal. Both the Rod and his body seemed to react to his wishes with a speed that only comes from a lot of practice. Practice that he, himself never remembered having.

Practice was the only explanation. Just being destined to wield the Rod did not mean he would automatically wield it well, and if he was not the one who had the practice, it had to be Namu.

_Namu with the power to control thoughts and actions of dumb creatures by force, and no doubt humans as well to some degree._

Malik smirked. The thought was worrying at the very least.

He was sure, he did not know why, that the Rod could do much more than make any animal he chose walk into his campsite, lose all it's hair or feathers and die so that he may cook it.

Malik shrugged to get rid of the gnawing fear in his stomach.

_It's not my problem. Shadi's the one who has to worry about the Millennium Items._

With that cleared up, he grinned up at the sky. He now knew how to summon the rod and vanish it, and a little mind control in a limited range. He hadn't tried anything major yet, but he'd be travelling to the castle tomorrow and could probably stop for a couple of tests on the way.

_Those suits will do for targets; somehow I find it very hard to think _they_ didn't deserve it._

And with that thought, he closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the cold air on his left offset the heat of the fire on his right beautifully…

…Marik drifted off to try to have his first decent night's sleep since he threw Bakura out of his room. Unfortunately, Malik's mind had other ideas and played out all of the madly whirling thoughts that Marik locked away in his head.


	12. The Nightmare of Loss

There's more to life than Duel Monsters

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch12: The Nightmare of Loss

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Hm, I should stop making it a habit to procrastinate. : ( I did need the sleep though. Eh, I wish I had a clone to study for me. Longest chapter yet! Yay! I don't know who's still reading, but if you are, sorry for the delay.

* * *

**Marik's Nightmare**

Marik watched two kids sitting on a seesaw, he knew he was the little tanned blonde one, and he was smiling at the snowy-haired pale one across from him. The other boy was smiling back. There was a song in the background that Marik remembered singing to himself when he played as a child, in Ancient Egypt.

_Funny, I don't actually remember where I learnt it._

He decided it was probably from one of the slaves. That is, he heard it and made the slave teach him. Marik would have liked to know what the words actually meant but that language had long since died out and was forever lost in the mists of time, like so many of the things he remembered.

The picture zoomed in, until he was his own childhood self. He couldn't move himself or turn his head, as though the child didn't really want to take his eyes off the other boy. There was also no backdrop to this scene, Marik realized, it was all shiny and light – the way daydream sequences were in some cartoons.

But this wasn't a daydream. The kids were pushing off the ground faster and faster. Marik grinned as he felt the nervousness hit him – both he and the other boy were going too fast, and the seesaw shuddered whenever one of the boys hit the top.

Marik's child-sized hands were sweating, as he looked at the other boy's calm smile, and felt the unsaid challenge hanging in the air. One thought shocked him to the core, suddenly he knew, he just knew…

_There is no ground._

But he couldn't stop himself – he wasn't about to lose.

Marik pushed off with all his might, the seesaw shuddered when he hit the top, his grip on the handlebar slipped, and he fell off the side.

His heart pounded in his ears, and he screamed in a voice he wasn't used to. As the other boy quickly disappeared from view, he fell away from the shimmering light, down into oblivion…into darkness.

He came to, and opened his eyes, only to be greeted with an all-too-familiar sight. It was the tomb, the prison he found himself in when he first awoke in this life. He was lying face down on a stone slab, naked; the little he could see of the room was lit by flickering torches.

Suddenly, like déjà vu, there was a burning sensation on his back.

Marik jumped up, startled, feeling the tattoo rod scrape his back, and quickly scrambled off the slab, putting it between himself, and the hooded masked man that was, as expected a nightmare version of Malik's father.

"Lie back down." Came the familiar authoritarian voice, sending shivers down Marik's spine.

Marik shook his head smiling, and backed away, shivering with cold and fear. The masked man started laughing. Malik was prepared for the inevitable locked door that would be there, holding his hands out behind him to meet it, but to his surprise, he felt nothing but air all the way out of the room.

When the room was almost out of sight, the laughter could still be clearly heard, and the masked man started walking slowly towards Marik, footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Marik turned and ran into the maze of passages that lay beyond the room, followed by laughter and footsteps. When his path forked, he took a turning at random, heartbeat almost as loud as his bare feet on the stone.

Marik was looking behind him as he ran, not expecting anything to be in his way, and crashed into a white haired tomb robber, sending both of them flying to the floor…and there was darkness.

Marik opened his eyes to find himself wrapped up in luxurious sheets, warm in a bed that wasn't his own. He pushed himself up to sit as his eyes tried to adjust to the dim white glow of streetlamps filtering in through thin black curtains from outside.

He surveyed the mess of sheets around him, and his eyes rested on something white.

_Hair. Bakura?_

So much happiness flooded Marik, that he had to hold onto the bed not to float away.

_Ra, let this be his dream too. _

Marik reached out to the familiar silhouette and felt warm wet skin. He smirked and automatically drew his hand up to his mouth to lick it, but something stopped him short, sending shivers down his spine and plunging him into the lowest, darkest depths of fear, tinged with despair and panic.

_It's so dark, why is it dark? It…it can't be…_

But there was no mistaking the metallic scent of blood – Marik was used to it, even found it pleasant at times; it had so many happy memories attached to it. But this was different, and the blood was still warm.

Marik slowly looked at his other hand, fear sitting like a lump in his throat making it hard to breathe or swallow, his vision blurred with unshed tears. Sure enough, there was the knife, coated in blood.

Marik heard the police sirens, but all he could think about was the shape that lay prone next to him, life-force seeping out. There was no saving somebody once Marik was done with them.

"Bakura! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it. Please come back." He whispered vehemently to the dead something he would never say to the living.

Marik glanced at the body, waiting for Bakura to sit up, smile and tell him that he'd lost the round. But there was nothing.

The police rushed into the room, disarmed Marik, and took him outside. Amidst the coloured lights, sirens and reporters, he felt a giggle start in his throat, one that turned into uncontrollable laughter.

_My fault, my fault, always my fault._ Sang in his head.

But just as the officer was pushing his head down so he would get into the police car, he noticed at the back of the crowd, standing apart from it, a boy that could have been a hallucination or a ghost, but knowing Bakura, was probably the real thing.

Bakura nodded to Marik, who felt a strange mix of great elation, and amazing betrayal wash over him. The emotions were so strong that he couldn't resist the now irate officer as the latter pushed him roughly into the car, nor was he able to move his feet.

Marik fell towards the back seat…and out of an overcrowded train, propelled along across the platform by the press of people. As he regained his footing and moved quickly through the crowd, his heart thumped in his chest so loudly that he could swear all the people could hear it.

He felt like he was doing something stealthy, something illegal, and that would have been alright, even the giant spy trench coat and hat he wore added a sense of poetry to the situation – it was a dream after all. But it also felt like he was doing something vital, and that unnerved him.

Soon, Marik reached the storage lockers, pushed in the combination and opened it. There was a brown paper package. He took it, and made his way to the entrance of the station…

And walked out into Ancient Egypt. The giant hall, people in period costumes and the familiar sight of the pharaoh on his throne – _was he always that short?_ – dealing with petitioners were all a dead giveaway.

_Wow. He's the very picture of Yugi Moto._ _How did _I_ not notice? Could the pharaoh…be Yugi? If I can have a vessel, then I don't see why he shouldn't…so, since I owned the Senn Rod back then and am now tied to it…that Senn Puzzle round his neck that I've seen so many times in duels …This is very interesting._

It was Marik's turn, and he moved forward, head bowed, chains he had not noticed a moment ago, clinking. It was strange, because only the rich and reasonably powerful could petition the pharaoh, and only slaves wore chains, but nobody acted like Marik was out of place.

He held the package out to the pharaoh who was playing with a small gold key. A guard walked forward to take the package out of Marik's hands, and he was startled to notice that this guard had the head of a jackal.

_Anubis._

The guard proceeded to open the wrapping, then the box, and pulled out… a folded piece of paper!

Marik could see what it said, and his heart sank as the paper was taken up to the pharaoh. It was an I.O.U. and there was only one person in the world that could steal something out of a sealed package without even touching the wrapping.

_Phantom. _ He thought, feeling incensed and betrayed, but more than anything, his heart physically ached that he had no right to feel that anymore; they were enemies now.

Marik felt laughter building up, but as always, the world was out of sync with Marik's mind. The pharaoh was frowning, and the Anubis-guard was walking towards Marik who was making a superhuman effort not to grin.

Marik clued into the danger of the situation when the guard was almost on him. He stepped back, but tripped over the chains and fell…

Onto a couch in a club. He looked up, and his eyes were drawn to Bakura, dressed in a white sleeveless top and cargo pants – a raver's outfit – surrounded by boys and girls wearing the same, the crest that marked Marik's house slaves, tattooed on their shoulders.

They were all talking quietly, hands all over the place with no regard for public decency. Not that anyone but Marik seemed to mind or come to that, even notice. They were walking into the backrooms of the club after all.

Marik got up and followed them, but soon stumbled back out of the darkened rooms, what little he had seen and heard, burnt into his brain. The room spun – it felt too hot, too stuffy, he couldn't breathe.

But before he could cross the dance floor to the entrance, his eyes were drawn to the boy who had just come in, and was now standing about looking lost. Marik's heart skipped a beat. There was no mistaking that body, that look of polite embarrassment that was so out of place among the thrill junkies and desperate whores.

_Ryou._

As if he had heard, the boy looked straight at Marik. Their eyes met and while one couldn't look away, the other wouldn't. Green eyes blue. It seemed to Marik that there was no space dividing them, that he could see a deep, unrelenting sadness reflected in Ryou's eyes …

That and the letters I.O.U.

**Marik's Nightmare**

* * *

Yugi Moto looked at the giant, firmly closed castle gates, as Jounochi yawned. Nobody had said a word in hours.

It was a cold dawn and they moved about, sitting down then standing again, pacing, keeping an eye out for their friends or other duellists.

More importantly, it was the day before Halloween; they had to enter those gates today to get into the finals.

Honda, Jounochi and Yugi had emerged from the tunnels under the castle only moments before. They were all cold, tired and a bit disoriented from their long trek underground.

_But it's not just that, it feels like there's an air of disappointment around us all today. _

_All in all, _Yugi reflected_, it had not been that bad an experience, but we're already making the best we can of a bad situation, and the universe, as Jounochi had pointed out several times during this trek, seems to have a grudge against us. _

Yugi had won the duel, against a man pretending to be the ghost of Seto Kaiba that would return to life by defeating Yugi. This was something so peculiar that Yugi suspected it had been thought up by Maxemillion Pegasus. The suits seemed to be listening to someone's orders throughout the duel, and instead of following through by releasing Mokuba, they had taken the boy, and started a landslide to trap Yugi and his friends in the cave. Everything in fact, aside from the 'ghost' had happened pretty much as expected.

It was lucky that Ryou had told him about the tunnels, because Jounochi and Honda had been bent on digging their way out, and there simply wasn't enough time for it, not with their starchip deficit.

Ryou had turned out to be a reliable source of information. They had met the guardians – the 'Paradox twins' and duelled them, then picked the right door in the twins' puzzle and made their way out. It was a very rewarding experience in that it had been Yugi's very first double duel. It was good that he got to team up with one of his best friends, as it offset the disadvantage of it being his first time quite nicely.

The downside was that the duel with the suits had only given Yugi four starchips, and the Paradox twins had left Yugi and Jounochi only two starchips richer. As the scores stood, Yugi could get into the castle with his ten, but he was torn between his wish to help his grandfather and his loyalty to his friends – Jounochi was determined to make the finals, and he needed four more starchips, while Honda, less determined by comparison, needed six.

There was also the separate issue of whether his friends would be let in to watch if they did not have the right amount of starchips to participate in the finals themselves.

_There is time, _Yugi reminded himself, _we still have to wait for the others, and if Anzu still does not want to take the starchips, maybe Mai will give them to Honda and Jounochi. Regardless of the morality, I think it would be best if Anzu kept her starchips, then we could _all _get into the finals._

But a ruthless, treasonous thought sat at the back of Yugi's mind. _The less people get into the finals with me the better my chances to win and duel Pegasus._

Before Yugi could argue with the thought in his head, Honda tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to where a stone-faced and very much alive Seto Kaiba emerged from the castle's catacombs. Yugi felt he should have been surprised or something, but it was too cold that morning.

Jounochi silently walked off to intercept Kaiba, followed by a wary Honda and challenged him to a duel.

Kaiba smirked. "Move mutt."

_I thought he wasn't in the tournament,_ was Yugi's first thought, as Honda restrained a livid Jounochi. Then the feeling of responsibility to stick up for his friend hit him.

"Drop dead Kaiba." Honda replied, as Jounochi seemed to be too angry for words.

"Already am." Said Kaiba, wisely not coming any closer to the two. He looked at Yugi, with a calculatingly cold stare. "Duel me."

"I would love to, but we will have to find an arena." Yugi answered automatically, truthfully, feeling the need to defend his friend more strongly because of the little treasonous thought he had managed to muffle earlier.

_Besides, _he justified his reply to his duelmaniac self, _I want to see if I am good enough to beat him without my puzzle or Exodia. _In defending his friend, the heart of the cards should theoretically give him an edge but Yugi thought it would be interesting to see how much of one he would get.

"Are you in the tournament?" Yugi added, just out of curiosity, coincidentally following the maxim that a smart duellist, a strong duellist, always ups the stakes.

Seto Kaiba nodded, showing five starchips he took out of a pants pocket. "Follow me."

_Five starchips, which should help Jounochi get inside no problem. Where is he going?_

Yugi ran after Seto Kaiba, who was climbing some outside stairs to the battlements over the castle gates.

"Man, this is one weird castle." Honda commented once they had reached the top. They could see into the empty courtyard, but there seemed to be no way down there unless you were willing to risk a three-storey fall onto stone.

Yugi and Kaiba set themselves up on opposite towers. Seto Kaiba knelt and opened his briefcase, taking a couple of disk-like devices out. He proceeded to give one to Yugi, then returned to his spot.

"I am only going to say this once. This is a duelling disk – a portable arena of my own design. I'll go first. Watch if you want to learn how it works. All my starchips to all of yours."

"That isn't fair." Argued Honda, tearing himself away from looking worriedly at Jounochi who was leaning precariously over the edge commenting on how fatal it would be.

Kaiba smirked derisively. "Yugi has a commercial version of the disk, mine is a prototype; the odds are fair."

"Why do you want _all_ of my starchips?" Yugi asked, a cold breeze playing with his hair.

Seto Kaiba turned to face him, a look of neutral calculation again on his face. "I am going to get my brother out and I don't need a pep squad in the audience."

Yugi's hopes sank. _He has the heart of the cards for him as well!_

Yugi nodded, feeling nervous warmth spread through his body, keeping the cold at bay. He looked at his friends.

Looking down into the courtyard once again, Honda was commenting to Jounochi how castles usually did not have a way to get in from the outside, while Jounochi pointed out that they still couldn't get inside the courtyard or any other part of the castle from there. Honda countered by saying that 'if you put archers up here, you could start a nice invasion'.

Kaiba's shake of the head attracted Yugi's attention.

Yugi looked questioningly at Kaiba.

Surprisingly Seto Kaiba replied. "And the defender will know exactly where you'll invade from." Startled, Honda and Jounochi returned their attention to the stage for the duel, which was probably what Kaiba had intended all along.

Yugi, uncertain, took out his deck and following Kaiba's example, launched his disk and put his deck into the holster on it, watching as it was shuffled.

"You get 'im Yugi!" Jounochi cheered.

_Relax; you know you can do this. Let's see how much of an advantage this newer model gives me._

* * *

Seto Kaiba arrived on the island before daybreak, in a motorboat. He had rented the same kind of boat as was used by Pegasus' security to 'escort' duellists who lost off the island so his arrival wouldn't be noticed.

As he had worked with Croquet, on Pegasus' island security system as well as the extra plans specially tailored to the tournament, Seto knew that today the suits would be running security checks across the entire island, one sector at a time. This basically meant that at this hour, most, if not all of the suits were in or near the desert, leaving his path to the castle unguarded.

And so it was. To Seto's satisfaction he reached the entrance to the castle dungeon catacombs as expected; without incident.

_Being dead certainly has its advantages, _thought Seto, smirking as he entered the master code he himself had picked out, that nobody had thought to change now that the only person apart from Pegasus who knew it was reportedly dead.

The stone wall blocking the entrance slipped open soundlessly and Seto ran out of the leaf rustling, cold, dark forest into the much warmer, well lit corridor. The wall shut soundlessly behind him, and the movement of warm air trying to escape stopped.

Seto however kept running, making his way as quickly as he could to the first set of cells in his pre-planned search pattern. He was looking for Mokuba, and knowing that Pegasus liked poetic gestures, Seto thought the most likely place to find a prisoner in a castle was the dungeon.

"Big brother!" Mokuba called out as soon as Seto entered the fourth set. The cells were reasonably small, and the area was well lit, so Seto quickly spotted Mokuba – eagerly pressed against a set of bars in one of the last cells along the wall. There were two doors leading out of the set, both thick and wooden and closed.

_But still, it's best to be cautious._

"Mokuba, let me concentrate." Seto said calmly, and Mokuba nodded, shutting his mouth before whatever he was about to say could escape.

Seto's heart pounded and immense happiness and relief flooded him as the sight of his brother looking a little worse for wear but effectively unharmed slowly registered. Seto's mind, meanwhile quickly and carefully took in the cell, searching for the best method of escape.

It was soon evident that Pegasus had to have a sadistic or stupid streak – Mokuba was wearing a ball and chain of comic proportions, making the ankle it was tied to look tiny and delicate. This precaution was as cruel as it was useless – if someone could pick the lock to the ancient cell, there was nothing to prevent them from doing the same to the chain, and if someone could break down the cell door, they could simply carry Mokuba away, ball and all.

Checking his anger at his brother's treatment, Seto took a lockpick that Ludo had lent him out of his pocket and started trying to open the ancient cell door. The lockpick had been one of three things Seto had procured before coming, the other two being the motorboat and a spare prototype of his duelling disk he kept in storage as proof of having invented it.

_It probably would not be healthy to speculate what a man who could easily break down a door uses a set of lockpicks for. _Seto contemplated, smirking internally. _There's always the possibility that it is all perfectly innocent, but Ludo's association with Pegasus puts it right outside the probable zone._

Pegasus wasn't the type of person to associate with innocent people as a rule, of course he wasn't the type of person to stick to rules either. Pegasus was the kind of person that loved to sneak up and surprise people at the most inopportune moments. Seto strongly suspected that Pegasus planned it that way ahead of time – it was too perfect to be just luck.

"Tsk, tsk Kaiba boy!" Pegasus was resplendent in today's purple tuxedo complete with white frilly shirt, tied with a blue ribbon at the throat. He grinned happily, gesturing towards an unobtrusive camera. The effect was strange, considering that his face was as always half covered by his shoulder-long silver hair.

Seto stepped away from the lock, and keeping his surprise and anger at bay, checked the room – there was nobody here besides the three of them.

"Speechless? You know purple is my colour." Pegasus continued, seemingly oblivious to his predicament.

"Git." Seto replied, barely succeeding at controlling the boiling mass of anger welling up inside. It was anger at the failure of a plan Seto had considered foolproof, the fact this _only ever_ happened with Pegasus around and at the sadistic treatment of his only family; Mokuba.

"Come now, Kaiba boy." Pegasus pouted, sending horrified shivers down Seto's spine at the sight. "I thought you of all people would plan better."

_And I keep thinking that one day you'll grow up; people aren't perfect. But I'm not done yet, Pegasus, you should have brought reinforcements._

"My brother is the best strategist in the world!" Mokuba yelled, unable to hold back anymore. "He plans to take me home and you can't stop him!"

Pegasus smiled kindly at Mokuba. "Well I'm certainly not _planning_ to. Trust me; you don't want to trust in plans implicitly."

Seto shushed Mokuba before he could reply and walked towards Pegasus, very aware of the heavy metal briefcase he was holding.

"Come now Kaiba boy," Pegasus took a couple of steps back in what seemed like mock fear, raising his hands defensively. "Look at him, not a scratch. You can't possibly be homicidal."

Seto smirked, stopping in front of Pegasus, gripping the handle of his briefcase tightly. "I can."

"Why?" Pegasus said in a pleasantly amused tone, cocking his head to the side, so that some of the hair over his face fell aside, a gold Egyptian carving he sometimes wore over one eye glinting in between the remaining strands.

"Ball. And. Chain." Seto stated matter-of-factly, bracing himself.

"Oh that!" Pegasus smirked, his golden eye flashed and there was a dull thump behind Seto. He turned to see Mokuba had fallen to the floor.

Fear, anger and disbelief chased each other through Seto, nothing showed on his face. He turned back to Pegasus, ready to strike, but paused as he was faced with a duel monsters card that looked blank for a second, then had the picture of a trapped Mokuba on it.

"What is that?" Seto asked calmly, his own voice sounding far away.

Pegasus looked at the card sadly. "I am afraid that it is strike one, Kaiba boy; Mokuba's soul is now in a place where he won't feel any… physical discomfort." He looked Seto in the eye. "It's a game, business, the best kind; where the stakes can be infinitely high Kaiba boy. Sometimes, we do what we have to do to keep our heads above water."

"Siding with them?" Asked Seto, too cushioned by the shock to object to any statements made by Pegasus.

"Mmm." Pegasus nodded. "I prefer not to pick sides until the dust settles. Their main plan has failed, all they have is Mokuba as backup. Duel me in the tournament Kaiba, win and I am honour bound to fulfil your wish; I'll release Mokuba into your care."

Seto raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.

Pegasus smirked. "It can hardly be my fault if someone in the tournament turns out to be a good duellist."

Seto considered this proposal and nodded, emotions still in turmoil as the shock wore off. "How?"

Pegasus looked surprised. "Oh Kaiba boy! Don't you know? Oh of course you don't, you can't given how secretive this whole affair has been. I'd say it was my fault but I think nothing can ever be said to be truly the fault of one person, theoretically speaking. You need starchips, ten to get into the castle to duel me; I think as world champion you could probably skip the whole finals thing, considering how you're not the most patient of people, and as long as there's an audience and nobody can say I just handed the boy over then made up a story. People don't seem to believe me, and that is disconcerting, especially since I always tell the truth, most of the time, oh dear, the security will be here soon. Here, this should get you started."

He handed five small yellow stars to a very impatient Seto, and smiled. "I'm afraid you'll have to get the other five."

_Not a problem. _Seto smirked derisively.

_Have your fun Pegasus, perhaps I can still gain something out of all this. _"Where's Yugi Moto?"

* * *

Ryou Bakura walked out of his garden in time to make it to the courtyard by sunset, just.

The gates were being opened ceremoniously as he walked up to Otogi.

"I am sorry, I must have lost track of time." He said quietly.

Otogi rolled his eyes, smirking. "Don't worry I think everyone's been too busy staring at our host."

Ryou looked around to the balcony behind them, where Maxemillion Pegasus stood, surveying the courtyard, a glass of wine in one hand.

_Oh dear._

"Don't stare, it's rude." He heard Otogi whisper, and quickly turned around to apologise, but was stopped by the grin on Otogi's face. "Reeelax, Ryou."

Ryou looked down, embarrassed. The only thing that marred his stay here was a conundrum of politeness. As a guest, he felt he should make his stay as small a burden on his hosts as possible.

Ryou would feel uncomfortable if he didn't apologise, but apologising seemed to make people think he was uncomfortable, and made them go out of their way to make him feel at home, which had the effect of making him uncomfortable. So apology or no, it all ended the same way.

Discomfort was one reason he spent most of his time in the garden. Another reason, was so that people didn't have to go out of their way to entertain him. Though, this did mean that they tended to spend their spare time looking for him.

Ryou took a deep breath and let it out. Unfortunately, to Ryou's embarrassment, it was cold, and his breath came out as a cloud.

Otogi chuckled, perfectly at ease.

He leaned over and pretended to fall asleep on Ryou's shoulder. "This is sooo, boring! And it's freezing out here. What say we bail?"

Ryou knew he should be used to Otogi's antics by now, but this didn't stop him from being surprised. He looked at Otogi and saw the boy had been quite serious. "That's rude. It's a ceremony, I know they're long but…"

Otogi shook his head grinning. "You're too much Ryou. What does it matter if the host's gone? They can take care of it." He gestured towards the suits under Croquet's direction who were discussing something with the finalists who were just out of sight.

Ryou looked behind them and saw that Pegasus had indeed disappeared.

"Well, I'm going, you can freeze if you want but my cheer squad would kill me." And true to his word, Otogi turned on his heel and strolled back inside the castle.

Ryou waited a moment, undecided, but it seemed silly for him to stand around in the cold, alone, to greet finalists he may not even know. He turned and walked after Otogi.

_I hope Malik made it in._

He caught the door just before it shut behind Otogi, and walked in to find the other boy warming himself on the welcoming fire that had been lit in the fireplace. The fire was more for show than anything else – the castle had central heating.

"So you've finally come to your senses, eh?" Otogi asked, lazily slumping into a nearby armchair.

_Finally? It was only a couple of seconds, _Ryou thought, but asked something he felt was much more relevant. "Where did Pegasus go?"

Otogi shrugged, as his cheerleaders ran into the room giggling, and planted themselves on and around his armchair – one on each arm rest, and one hanging on the back. They had put on their cheer outfits for the first time during their stay, because the finals were coming up. Halloween themed, orange pompoms obscured parts of the perfectly content Otogi.

He moved a pompom aside and added as an afterthought, "They're having a cartoon marathon I think." Then one of his cheerleaders asked him a why he wasn't duelling in the tournament, and all four were lost to the world as the cheerleaders started trying to convince Otogi to enter the finals. As Ryou left to go to his room, he heard Otogi's defence that he couldn't be bothered, which set off an explosion of comments about how brilliant he would be.

Ryou smiled, as the door behind him closed his ears were spared the giggling and shrieking that seemed to accompany those girls whenever they were in the same room as Otogi. Ryou had once seen them by themselves, and the room had been as quiet as a graveyard by comparison. The girls had been wearing jeans, and Halloween jumpers, lying around on the floor in front of the fireplace reading and drinking tea.

Ryou looked up to find himself face to face with the door to his room. Looking down the hallway, made his eyes widen with surprise.

_Was that Seto Kaiba? _

_Didn't I overhear the suits say that it was such a tragedy that he had been killed? _

_Perhaps I misheard._

Ryou opened the door, and walked inside. He lay down on the bed, unable to stop himself from wondering if he was out of touch, since even Otogi was dressed for the occasion in black and orange, with a jack-o lantern on his black top…

He realised he'd fallen asleep as soon as he woke up. Ryou got up, wiped sleep out of his eyes and opened the door to his room to be faced with Malik walking down the hall towards him!

"Malik, uh, hello." Ryou managed to say through his elation.

But the boy walking towards him, Senn Rod in hand, wasn't Malik, and he didn't respond. His dark blue eyes sparkled angrily, making Ryou's heart beat faster, sending cold shivers down his spine.

"What on earth does Malik see in you?" Namu was smiling but his anger was plainly audible in the otherwise quiet and empty hallway. "You're weak, spineless, a disgrace to Bakura's image, the waters of the Nile would spit out your rotting corpse even if that meant your murderer's capture…"

Ryou listened for a bit, but he no longer felt the urge to run. He felt that he was on firm, familiar ground here, though it hurt more to hear those words coming from somebody else's mouth instead of his own head. Still, at home he had a knife that made all these things just a little less true.

"I know." He replied dejectedly, interrupting, when the pile of charges felt almost overwhelming.

Ryou's sad acceptance only seemed to anger the other boy further though. Namu's eyes bore into Ryou.

"How dare you have so much of Bakura and be SAD?!" Namu's smile showed too many teeth now and the anger had turned to rage.

This scene brought back memories of Keith which threw Ryou's feelings into turmoil. Happiness, sadness and longing waged war against very strong fear tinged with outrage. All of these were directed at the virtual stranger who was yelling at him.

The combined effect made Ryou back away into his room until he could back away no more. The other boy followed, closing the door, and moving to within easy reach in the gloom.

"_His_ skin." Here, the boy cupped Ryou's cheek.

Ryou wanted to scream, to run as his heart pounded, warning him of the danger, but he felt the other boy's warm, smooth palm and couldn't move.

"_His_ hair." Here, the Senn Rod disappeared as the boy's other hand gently brushed Ryou's hair at odds with his voice, making Ryou's skin tingle.

"His hard shell, the tongue of a lawyer…" Here the boy seemed to pause in thought, his eyes sparkling madly at whatever ideas were brewing in his head.

_He looks so much like Malik._

The amount of longing attached to that thought almost drowned the surprised Ryou.

But it was soon forgotten as the boy's angry kiss propelled both of them onto the bed Ryou had retreated to. The boy smelt of dry desert heat and chocolate cookies he must have had for supper. He moved with a speed and skill that Ryou found hard to follow. Everything was a mass of sensations, many of them pain and some ecstasy, but Ryou couldn't cry out; he could hardly breathe.

* * *

Malik Ishtar's body sat and looked at the body of the boy lying in the moonlight beside him on the bed. Whether the other boy was asleep or unconscious he didn't know, and hadn't bothered to check.

The pain of just sitting there was excruciating, almost matching that of getting Malik's tombkeeper tattoos. The fresh looking cuts on the wrists were causes of a separate wave of worry that struggled to make itself felt.

Marik closed his eyes and smiled, emotional pain sharpened by the lack of visual interference. He reached out a hand, and it touched familiar yet foreign skin, wrapped in a mess of sheets. That felt so right the pain instantly vanished.

Now the worry took over, and his eyes snapped open, to check the other boy was alright. But then everything was slightly off again. The air had a different feel to it, and Marik satisfied himself with taking his hand away again.

_If I didn't know… He looks so much like Bakura._

The pain hit him again, and Marik fell back onto the bed, seeking the only refuge he had left…

…Malik opened his eyes, to come face to face with a sleeping Ryou. He rubbed his chest where some pain was slowly ebbing, putting it down to physical exertion on a full stomach.

A grin grew on his face at that thought, and he made no effort to restrain it. He felt inclined to whistle, but upon considering the fact that the other boy might object, didn't.

There was only one thing that spoiled the atmosphere in the end. It was a thought.

Malik sighed. _Why do I never get to have the fun?_

A thought later, he was grinning again as it reminded him that he had had quite a lot of fun with Bakura, regardless of their busy schedules. Again he felt like whistling, and again he didn't.

Malik did notice the cuts on the wrist but he felt sure that it wasn't anything to be worried about. In fact, Malik couldn't think of anything that could worry him when it came to Bakura. _We must be the most relaxed couple in the world._

He did pause to consider whether Bakura would go as far as calling them a couple, but felt that Bakura wouldn't have any objection if Malik did, and that he wouldn't have one if Bakura didn't. It was really very easy, much easier than being friends with Ryou, though the boy lying next to him looked awfully tempting, and his hair was a shade too neat to be Bakura's.

Malik considered this the perfect end to a perfect day, or as near to one as anyone could get considering how the whole world was crazy.

Malik had arrived at the castle gates early. There, he met up with an extremely dejected Yugi, surrounded by people trying to cheer him up. Malik learned that Seto Kaiba had come and gone, beating Yugi in a duel, and taking all his starchips. Kaiba was now in the castle.

Mai had arrived a couple of minutes later, both her and Anzu looking well rested, happy and tanned. Mai managed to cheer Yugi up by telling him to get over losing a duel in a tournament, that if he wanted to keep duelling he would lose a lot more and have to bounce back quickly.

Malik had added the example of Bandit Keith, who had effectively vanished from the circuit not long after losing to Pegasus' 'champion'. This seemed to have a good combined effect, especially since Anzu still refused her starchips, and Mai ended up giving all ten to Yugi.

Malik gave his spare eight to Honda, but Honda said that he thought Jounochi had deserved them more and that he wanted to see whether Jounochi would crack under the pressure. So after the ensuing scuffle, the only people walking though the castle gates as competitors for the finals were Yugi, Malik, Mai, and an injured Jounochi. As it turned out, there were no issues about letting the rest of the gang, namely Honda and Anzu, in to watch.

_Speaking of issues, I suppose this one doesn't need any more._

Malik reached across an expanse of bed, disentangled his sheet, and put it on Ryou. He got off the bed, managed to locate all of his clothes, grabbed the pile of them and left.

As soon as he walked out into the hall naked, Malik yawned and felt a wave of mental and physical exhaustion hit him seemingly from nowhere.

_It's dark; there are still a couple of hours of sleep I can catch._

Malik shuffled off in search of any room without an occupant so he could collapse onto the bed. The reasoning behind this was that there was just no way he could possibly remember where his 'meringue room, you can't miss it' was.

Malik only noticed that he had actually walked around the castle naked as he crawled under warm sheets.

* * *

Yugi turned over, for the hundredth time that night.

_It's the finals, _kept running through his head. _And it isn't just some local tournament, every good duellist who could, came, and Mai, Jounochi, Malik and I are the only ones who got through. What if I lose to Jounochi? What if I lose to Pegasus? Will my grandfather come back anyway? Does it matter? Shouldn't I get some sleep?_

Yugi had been fine when he had gone to bed, but he'd had a very strange dream involving his grandfather's soul and a strange place called the shadow realm. After waking up from that, trying to sleep again was futile. The constant turning over felt like someone had left him inside a washing machine, on super wash.

Yugi turned over again, putting his face in the pillow and stretching out his arms as far as he could… He touched something warm and soft.

Cold fear gripped Yugi. Without opening his eyes, he moved across a little more, so his hand could figure out what this object was.

It was breathing! Yugi felt another hand push his off.

Carefully, Yugi opened his eyes and turned his head to see… Malik! Yugi literally jumped out of bed, all the while staring at the blonde boy who was lying quietly on the very edge.

The fear drifted off somewhere as embarrassment, horror and questions moved in. Yugi was at a loss, he didn't know what to do.

First thing he did do, was check that he was still wearing his underwear. He was. _That's a relief._

Looking outside, he could see it was almost dawn. _Well I'm not going to get any sleep, might as well do something useful._

Studiously ignoring the blonde, for nothing could be done until Malik woke up, Yugi got dressed, and took out his deck. By then, it was light enough for him to see the cards.

Yugi he sat down on the bed, determined not to be bothered by the other boy, and started figuring out whether this was really the deck he wanted to duel with.

Lost to the world, Yugi perfected his selection. It was light by the time he slipped the complete deck into his pocket.

Feeling much more relaxed, he assessed his situation. _Malik could have just been so tired he did not know he had come into my room. Perhaps he sleepwalks._ Yugi looked at the floor beside the bed. _Perhaps he sleepwalks naked with a pile of clothes in his hands._

Yugi smiled. Funnily enough, it sounded just like something Malik would do.

_Right, how did Pegasus explain it? Today I have to present either the white card or treasure card to get into the finals .The white card, if I have it when I win, will grant me a single request from Pegasus – releasing my grandfather and Mokuba. The treasure card, again if I win will get me three million dollars. Beside all that, I get the title of King of Games._

Just then Malik yawned, and sat up. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he looked around and upon seeing Yugi, put one hand behind his head and burst into a fit of laughter.

"Good morning Malik." Smiled Yugi.

Malik wiped tears from his eyes. "Ah, I haven't laughed like that in ages! Sorry Yugi, I'm glad to see you're alright about this. I just wandered in here last night, exhausted I was, actually…" Here Malik dissolved into a fit of laughter again. "…ah…" He wiped the tears away again. "I was actually trying to find an unoccupied room, as I don't remember where mine is… I am so happy, you're not Jounochi!"

Yugi couldn't help but smile.

_Somehow, Malik makes the strangest things seem normal._

Then Yugi looked down, serious, as a thought emerged that had been gnawing at the back of his mind. "Do you think I'll be able to win?"

There was no answer.

Yugi looked up to find a smiling Malik. "You can hardly ask me that, I'm your competition, remember?"

Yugi shook his head, serious. "I didn't mean that, I mean will I be able to duel. That loss to Seto… Kaiba, it was very close, but he's got a better deck and he must have wanted it more than I did. He was standing so close to the edge… I passed up a chance to attack."

Malik grinned. "Anubis, he really got to you, huh? Sometimes you know, you'll just… lose. We all make stupid moves sometimes; you'll pass up other attack opportunities, that's for sure, and for less reason. Nobody could be more dedicated to your grandfather than you, Yugi."

Yugi smiled weakly. "Thankyou Malik, it was just, if I attacked, he could have fallen, and…"

Just then Jounochi walked in, and froze in shock, looking from Yugi to Malik.

_And I almost attacked._

"Uh, Yugi, I thought this was your room."

"It is." Yugi answered, realizing too late that Jounochi was really getting the wrong idea.

"Uh, I'll just go…" Jounochi said, looking from the smiling Malik to Yugi who was too stunned to speak.

_He thinks…Well, I suppose I thought… what did I think?_

Malik laughed, lessening the tension. "Ah, I really should get dressed, before we get more guests. Eh, Yugi?"

Yugi got up and handed Malik's clothes pile to the boy. "We'll wait outside."

Malik grinned and wiggled his eyebrows as he said. "You sure?"

Yugi sweatdropped, and nodded, turning around and walking up to an open-mouthed Jounochi to push him out of the room. Just as they left and Yugi was about to close the door, Malik called him back.

"Wait here Jounochi." Yugi ordered, and getting a nod in reply, went back inside.

Malik was sitting on the bed, hands behind his back, obviously trying not to smile. "I think you'll definitely feel better about your chances in the final if you see this."

Yugi cocked his head, hoping it wasn't anything that would scare Jounochi even more.

Just then, Malik revealed… The Senn Puzzle!

Yugi couldn't help the exclamation of happiness and surprise. "Ah! How did you…"

Malik grinned, putting a finger to his lips, whispering. "Shh. You don't want to scare Jounochi."

"You didn't seem to object to it before." Yugi noticed.

Malik grinned, tossing the puzzle to Yugi, who caught it easily, almost absentmindedly. "I did say _you_."

Yugi looked at the puzzle. "Malik, I… thanks, but I can't…"

Malik shook his head, getting out of bed and Yugi studied the puzzle until Malik had put underwear on.

"Ryou had it, he must have found it somehow. I… borrowed it, I'll give it back," Malik said as Yugi almost interrupted at that point. "But it's your destiny, and one way or another it's trying to get back to you. Listen, use it, just for the tournament, if you don't want it after that, I'll give it back, but if you do, talk to Ryou."

Yugi looked at the puzzle and didn't want to let it go. He put the chain around his neck and for the first time in a while felt like a whole person again. He felt like the he could do anything, even beat Pegasus.

"Thanks." He said to Malik, sincerely.

"Anytime. Now go save Jounochi's sanity. I think I can get dressed by myself.

Yugi nodded and went outside. Jounochi was still in exactly the same position as before. Yugi looked up at his friend. "Nothing happened. Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Jounochi nodded, serious. "If you say so Yugi, ah, yeah there was somethin'" Here, Jounochi put a hand behind his head. "Ah, you won't believe this, but… I've lost the treasure card ya gave me."

Yugi smiled, and nodded. "Let's go look, and then if all is lost, I can ask Mai."

Jounochi grinned, everything else forgotten. "Thanks Yugi."

* * *

Seto fell into darkness.

It wasn't a metaphor either. The fall was too slow to be anything but damned annoying.

_I lost. I can't believe I lost to that git._

_How could he predict my moves in that duel? No matter what he says, he can't read minds, it's impossible and no mouldy old Egyptian carving slash eye is going to change that._

_Ha. If I could read minds the Big Five wouldn't be able to get away with anything. Nobody would. _

_He cheated too. Well, of course he cheated, he couldn't beat me otherwise. Mind reading aside, nobody could predict he had Toon World cards. _

_Trust Pegasus to overdo it. There are easier ways to cheat than to have a set of duelling cards custom made for you._

_That cartoon caricature of a Blue Eyes… Cartoon duel monsters that live in a giant Toon World, attack your life points directly, who can't be attacked by anything other than another cartoon. How could Pegasus resist?_

_It wouldn't be allowed in _any_ public tournament without prior notice. So Pegasus hosts a private one himself instead of getting Industrial Illusions involved. Pegasus has always been one for playing with loaded dice._

_Am I ever going to stop falling?_

"Shit. Mokuba!"

"Big brother!"

Seto felt the falling sensation stop, though he still couldn't see anything and his feet weren't touching the ground.

"Is that you big brother?"

"Mokuba? Where are you?"

"I don't know Seto, it's dark and there's monsters…" Mokuba sounded scared, slipping into enthusiasm as he continued "…just like in a computer game!" Then the fear was back in his voice. "But I don't have a sword or anything. Seto, if this is a dream, I should have a sword, right?"

_No. This place looks like it should be in a nightmare, but Gozaburo…_Seto shuddered…_ isn't here, so either isn't a dream and Pegasus has' trapped my soul' like he claimed he did Mokuba's, which is highly unlikely to say the least, or this is my first nightmare without Gozaburo in it since I met him, ten years ago, which is equally unlikely._

"Seto?"

"Seto Kaiba?" Said an old leathery voice.

"Who's asking?" Seto enquired.

"You are! You're that rude young man who came into my shop!"

"Mr. Moto." _If this isn't a dream…_

"Moto? Yugi's dad?"

"Grandfather." Seto corrected.

"You know my Yugi?"

"Mokuba, don't talk to strangers." Seto reminded the boy for what felt like the hundredth time.

"But he's _Yugi's_ grandpa, Yugi tried to save me Seto!"

_Like I didn't._

"Don't worry, Mokuba, my Yugi will get us out of this."

_I'll believe it when I see it._

"My, my! Aren't we cosy!" Came an all too familiar voice.

"_Pegasus._" Seto shuddered.

"Kaiba boy! Welcome to my little sleepover!"

"Bastard. Where are we?" Seto asked, pent up anger exploding a little before he got it under control again.

"Now, now, no need to be rude." Lectured the voice of the old man.

"I was going to tell you, but now I won't." Pegasus mock sobbed. "You've hurt my feelings."

"Please, Mr. Pegasus, if you know where we are, tell us."

Immediately, Pegasus sounded more cheerful. "Well, since you asked so nicely Mr. Moto, I will of course oblige. We are in a place called the shadow realm, pretty isn't it?"

"Is that why it's so dark?" Seto heard Mokuba ask.

"Oh that!" Pegasus exclaimed, sounding surprised. "No, that's for your comfort; people find it disturbing to see their glowing souls floating in space."

"How did we get here?" Asked the old man.

"Ah, that would be my fault. See, this Millennium Item I happen to have, has special properties. I shouldn't wonder Yugi boy's Puzzle has some too, Mr. Moto." Pegasus explained in a roundabout way.

"What do you plan to do with us?"

"Let us go!" Mokuba's voice interjected.

"I'd love to Mokuba, I really would, but if I did, I would be going back on a promise I made to some people with very long reaches and even longer memories. But do not worry, panic or fret! There's a hero come to rescue you! Since Kaiba boy here couldn't stand up to the might of my Toon World, Yugi boy will have to do the rescuing!"

Before Mokuba could argue further, his exasperation and anger under firm control, Seto asked something that had been bugging him since Pegasus' arrival besides Pegasus himself. "Why're _you _here?"

"Ah, Kaiba boy! _So_ glad you asked! And just in time too. I thought you would like to watch Yugi boy versus the Toon World, it's set to be the highlight of the tournament!"

"What!"

_That newbie actually made it to the finals?! _

"Ha. Yes, Yugi boy is quite talented. Here gentlemen and Kaiba boy, for your viewing pleasure, I shall give you a window."

A hole in the darkness appeared moments after the words were said. It looked out onto the arena where Pegasus was facing off against Yugi. The match had yet to begin and Pegasus was declaiming how Yugi was now in the shadow realm.

Indeed, the arena seemed to be encased in a sort of glowing bubble, which made the room outside it look darker. Three boys, Otogi among them were on the viewing balcony. Yugi's gang, puppy included were standing just outside the bubble behind Yugi looking scared.

Seto looked around, but could see nothing but the cinema-screen-like bright window, not even himself. He assumed that Pegasus had gone, since he was currently in the arena still talking at Yugi.

"Mokuba?" Seto asked as he felt worry growing.

"I'm here big brother." The worry was alleviated, as Mokuba didn't sound far away or scared.

"Shh. My Yugi is saying something." Reproved the old man's voice.

_Damn. It seems it was too much to hope we'd ditched the old man._

"Sorry." Came Mokuba's whisper.

_Fantastic. The freedom of my little brother now depends on whether my little experiment can beat the biggest technically legal cheat in the game._

_Well, thanks to me has had the advantage of seeing exactly how Toon World works. Let's see if he can use that advantage._

* * *

Ryou glanced at Otogi as the boy ran commentary on the match between Jounochi and Malik, heart beating faster than normal.

_He seems to be having fun._

Ryou couldn't keep his eyes off the match itself for long - it was Malik's turn. Not knowing how it was going to play out was nerve wracking, and looking away just made it worse.

_This is how people must feel when they watch their teams play sport… knowing the person involved seems to make all the difference in the world. Knowing the rules doesn't hurt either. Wow! That was a good move._

Ryou was so involved that he barely noticed Malik's friends walk up.

Otogi poked Ryou in the ribs, making him jump.

Ryou looked reprovingly at Otogi, stepping out of arm's reach. "I'm ticklish."

Otogi grinned. "You don't say. You don't listen, either." Ryou was about to apologise but Otogi pressed on, "I _said_, I wonder why Shizuka's friends went off after Pegasus beat Kaiba."

Ryou thought for a moment. "Why don't you ask them?"

Otogi smirked. "Perhaps I shall," then turning to where Yugi, Mai, Honda and Anzu stood, he called. "Hey guys! Where'd you disappear off to?"

Yugi smirked confidently, somehow looking taller, Senn Puzzle sparkling around his neck, "Jounochi lost his treasure card."

Mai looked Otogi up and down and smiled. "It's the card he needed to show to play in the finals."

Otogi smirked, then turned back to the arena, where Jounochi was losing. "Just not you day, huh?"

Jounochi, who was trying to concentrate on his next move growled. "Go bother somebody else, arrogant asshole."

Otogi didn't look offended at all, he just laughed. "Down, doggy, your sister wouldn't like to hear you say that."

At that comment, Jounochi turned to face Otogi, seriously angry. "Ya leave my sis out o'this! Ya hear?"

Otogi smirked. "Or what? You don't deserve to compete for the title of 'King of Games'. Your bark is worse than your bite."

Jounochi growled and shook his fist, unable to leave the match for fear of disqualification. This made Otogi grin and Jounochi get even angrier. "Name the game asshole!"

Otogi smirked. "That a challenge?"

"Yeah." Jounochi crossed his arms.

Otogi stretched. "Alright. I win, you have to wear a dog costume and be my slave for a week."

"Ya lose, ya clear outta town."

"Deal. Here." Otogi took some dice out of his pocket and tossed them to Jounochi, who had to put his duelling cards down to catch them. "We both roll the dice and the one with the highest amount wins."

Ryou felt a pang of worry. He realized he didn't really want Otogi to leave. "Are you sure?" Ryou asked quietly.

Otogi grinned confidently, whispering. "Don't worry, he's having a bad day _and_ I'm the luckiest guy alive."

Meanwhile, Jounochi had rolled. "Four dice, that's twelve."

Pegasus, from his private balcony on the other side of the arena, nodded. "All in all, not so good."

Otogi smirked, and rolled the dice onto the floor. They stopped by Yugi's feet. "Twenty four," the boy announced seriously, picking up the dice. "They're not loaded." He tossed them to Otogi.

Otogi caught the dice as Anzu and Honda came out of their stupors. "That can't be right!" "How did you do that?" They said simultaneously.

Otogi shrugged, and caught the dice Jounochi had flung at him with a spare hand. "I've always been good with dice."

Ryou shook his head. _This is not going to end well, Otogi's just playing but it is a mean trick._

"What?" Otogi asked, noticing Ryou's disapproval.

"Did you have to do that; aggravate him? Do you really want to enslave the brother of a girl you obviously like?" Ryou asked, quietly, speaking his mind fully for the first time since he'd yelled at Malik.

Otogi looked surprised and amused. He thought for a second. "I hadn't thought of that." He shrugged. "I'm sure it'll work itself out. Besides, Pegasus beat Kaiba; there'll be no living in the Kaiba mansion after this. Mokuba will probably get grounded – remember Seto said during the match that Mokuba was a 'guest' here at the castle? Sounds like politics to me. Anyway, the vital point is that it's highly unlikely I'm going to have anything to entertain me for a while – I've got an arcade I have to run, a game to launch, girls to beat off with a stick, etcetera."

Ryou took in all this, and nodded. _It doesn't look like it, but he must think a great deal. I guess with a mind like that it is very easy to get bored._

Meanwhile, Jounochi was seething downstairs, and Pegasus was looking decidedly bored himself, as was Malik, by the looks of it, sporting a lightly amused smile.

Anzu and Honda were looking at Yugi and Mai, concern plain on their faces.

Mai said something to Yugi quietly, and the latter nodded. "I challenge you to a duel, Otogi, if I win, you let Jounochi go."

Otogi looked lazily in Yugi's direction. "Sure. I win, you announce to the world that you cheat when you play duel monsters and retire."

Ryou took a deep breath, already very worried about how things would turn out. Instinctively, he looked at Malik, who was looking directly at him, smiling. The smile and the calm blue eyes, made Ryou's heart skip a beat, but also soothed his nerves.

_He can't possibly hear everything that is being said up here._ Was the only coherent thought that came into Ryou's head.

He tore himself away to face Yugi, when he realised the latter had said something.

Otogi smiled, leaning back on the balcony railing, pocketing the dice. "Sure. The game is my own invention, Dungeon Dice Monsters, and we'll play in the Domino Arcade, which I currently own. I'd like to have it on the day I launch the new game, put it up on the Vid. Screen so everybody gets to know the rules."

Yugi nodded confidently, "Sounds reasonable. How will I know when?"

Otogi laughed. "You'll know, trust me."

Yugi nodded, then returned to his old viewing spot.

Pegasus sighed. "Ah Yugi boy, ever the hero, n'est pas? Play on, gentleman and Jounochi, play on."

And so the match resumed, and Ryou's worry over whether Malik would win returned full force. But beneath it all, the memory of the blue calm of those eyes and that smile would not leave his head.

* * *

Malik smiled as he went to sit with Ryou and Otogi on the balcony overlooking the duelling arena. His loss to Yugi still stung, a little because he had tried his best not using his Millennium Rod, when he could see Yugi use the Puzzle and Obelisk against him, but mainly because he had lost in front of Ryou.

_Ha. Would it have been better if I'd lost in private? Who am I pretending to be? Trying to impress Ryou by lying isn't a good way to go, especially when I genuinely want him to get to know me._

It was a bit painful showing exactly who he was all of the time, especially when it backfired, but Malik couldn't live any other way. He wasn't an idealist or anything; he wasn't in it for the honesty, he just wasn't going to let his life be ruled by others anymore – a resolution he had made when he had learnt of the death of his father.

Ishizu had been the only hurdle on that path, but she seemed more than willing to give him his space now that 'the evil within him had been exorcised'. Malik wasn't that optimistic; he'd had blackouts since that momentous duel with Yugi, though they were less frequent now, and not usually in public. He figured the 'evil' was just lying low.

Malik thumped down behind the railings, and dangled his feet over the edge of the balcony, getting a good view of the arena through the bars. The finals had just concluded, with Yugi the winner, no surprises there. Jounochi had lost to Malik, and Mai to Yugi. Malik had lost to Yugi in the finals and now Yugi was going to duel Pegasus for the title of 'King of Games', three million dollars and a wish.

The quarter finalists had come out with one million dollars each and Malik had two million coming his way. This was one of the reasons that Duel Monsters was such a popular game – it attracted so many rich sponsors, that the prize money was extremely high. Of course, in private tournaments like this one, which were run by one man, not a company or the government, the only way to get any prize money at all was to get into the finals.

Ryou was sitting with his back to the arena, where a giant dark bubble appeared and enshrouded the competitors, leaning back on the railings of the balcony. Ryou didn't seem to be paying what little could now be seen of the match any attention; he looked like he was thinking, shrouded by strands of white hair, eyes closed.

_Wait a second! He's crossing his arms… If I had to guess…_

Malik looked up, but he needn't have worried; Otogi seemed enthralled by the match, standing up to watch, hands gripping the railing so hard his knuckles were white. Otogi was not the most polite of people,

_Certainly nothing like Ryou,_

But he would have greeted Malik, had he noticed the boy's approach.

Malik looked back down and was startled by red eyes staring inquisitively at him, shaded by the delicate shroud of hair.

"Why didn't you use your… magic?"

The comment sounded very guarded, making Malik glance up at Otogi. The latter hadn't moved an inch. Malik decided nonetheless not to risk it; Bakura would be better than him at recognising a dangerous topic.

Malik smiled quizzically, "Could I have? Against Yugi? He needs to win more than I do."

_I have a feeling I know why you don't have too many friends._

Bakura smirked, eyes sparkling. "How charitable. You have no idea how strange those sentiments sound coming out of that mouth…" Bakura leaned forward as he said the last.

Malik turned his head away, looking at the floor. The urge to respond to Bakura's invitation was very strong, and the people all around them just added spice to the mix, but Malik had come wanting something else.

"Can I talk to Ryou?"

Malik had never been one to deny himself anything, and he'd expect that his actions would offend. Not that the fact would stop him, just maybe make him try to let the other party down easy. _If_ it had been anyone but Bakura, that is.

Bakura leaned back on the railings, putting some space between them and Malik looked up to see his smirk widen into a grin. "Sure. You know, he didn't like seeing you lose."…

… "Ryou?" Malik was surprised.

Ryou's emerald eyes sparkled at Malik and the grin faded into a polite, apologetic smile. "I am sorry. I didn't see you there. Hello Malik, how are you?"

Malik grinned, shrugging off the sting of embarrassment at the loss that came back when he was faced with Ryou. "I lost."

"In the finals of a major tournament." Ryou was quick to add, looking down. "I could never do that well."…

…Marik smiled, showing too many teeth. _You body can do interesting things when you want it to, vessel._

As if sensing a change in the air, Ryou looked up…

… "What are you up to princeling?" Bakura looked cautious.

Marik smirked in frustration, faced by his ally turned enemy. _Protective. _The pain was fleeting and soon followed by pure, warm malice. _I'll take him either way. Any way I can get Bakura is fine with me._

"Living with a seer makes me pretty good at reading dreams, if I do say so myself. This is especially true of the ones I understand best, the nasty ones…" Bakura watched, seemingly content to let Marik continue.

"… So, I said to myself, 'double check, that's what your precious Ryou would do.' And by the sons of the Pharaohs, my nightmare turned out to be more than just idle paranoia of the evil genius."

Suddenly, anger flared up in Marik like never before. His eyes flashed, and his voice was seething with venom as he said "You _stole_ from me, Bakura. The Senn puzzle is _mine_."

Bakura's eyes flashed, and his face turned to porcelain – cold and pale. "We no longer have an uneasy truce tomb keeper. That puzzle is a vital part of _my _plan. A fact that _you_ know very well."

Marik grinned. "You're a thief. I was going to trade it for Obelisk, you _could_ have waited. Patience has always been _your_ virtue."

Bakura matched the grin. It looked like he had an ace up his sleeve. "I guess Malik is rubbing off on me in more ways than one."

Marik chucked. "That one is easily deluded. You shed blood for him, Bakura, he must think it's romantic." As Bakura opened his mouth to interrupt, Marik raised a hand, and the mouth shut.

_Both polite little china dolls._

Marik continued, "Does he know you were just keeping my body safe?" He looked at Bakura questioningly, crossing his arms, all anger evaporated in the face of curiosity, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Bakura glanced at Otogi, and Marik followed suit, but the boy was still absorbed. Bakura answered, anger still evident in his clipped tone. "Speaking of which, I saved _your _life, Marik."

"Humph." Was all Marik could say to that.

"At least this life," Bakura pressed, "You need that body to exist, just like I need Ryou's. That has to be worth something."

Marik smirked derisively as Bakura scrutinised him. "You look after mine, I look after yours, that was the deal, which is now void by the by."

Bakura seemed to be cooling off somewhat, his tone still ticked off, but just that. "I saw the… decorative bruises."

Marik nodded. "Consenting adults, I believe we're called in this country. When you think of something better to repair our business relations, let me know. May I suggest you acquire Obelisk the Tormentor?"…

…Malik felt the remnants of pompousness drain away. Bakura sighed.

"How did it go?" Malik asked, concerned.

Bakura shrugged looking at the wall ahead of him, face expressionless in thought. "It had been a long shot but it was worth a try. At least I've got him speaking to me, worst case scenario was him never opening that pretty mouth for me again…" Bakura glanced at Malik, and smirked, eyes amused. "Let's try that again, shall we?"…

… Malik smiled at Ryou, who frowned in confusion.

"What are you doing for New Year?" Malik asked the first question that entered his head.

Ryou's forehead cleared and he smiled. "Nothing I guess, my father isn't one for family holidays, not since mother…"

Malik grinned, interrupting. "Say no more. How's about we meet up in Domino city? Under the giant TV screen? At, say seven."

Ryou looked surprised at the invitation. "Wouldn't you rather spend the holidays with your family?"

"You've met my family, right?" Malik asked, "Anyway, Christmas is for family. New Year is for friends, or at leat that's what all the American TV shows lead me to believe."

Malik felt warm and fuzzy when he got a genuine smile in response.

"Do you think we'll get snow?" Malik enquired as his mind jumped rapidly and enthusiastically to the one thing he had been most looking forward to with the approach of winter.

"Sure we will." Came Otogi's reply.

The boys looked up to see him standing, leaning on the railing, relaxed once more.

"When did you tune in?" Malik enquired, a mild panic setting in.

It was alleviated by Otogi's reply. "Oh, at around 'the giant TV screen'." Otogi smiled, and Ryou shook his head. "What?"

"It's rude to eavesdrop."

Otogi considered this for a moment, then dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Nah, it's dang useful. Otherwise, how else would I be able to tell you that Yugi won, Kaiba boy, to borrow the phrase, took Mokuba home in his helicopter after Mokuba thanked Yugi profusely and got himself invited to Yugi's house for Christmas? And that's not all folks. I've received an invitation myself, as did both of you."

Ryou looked surprised. "Why would Yugi…"

Otogi smirked. "He seemed to be in really good spirits. I of course accepted on your behalf."

Ryou frowned. "But…"

Malik smiled at Ryou, willing him to stop being so polite for once. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Ryou looked warily at Malik. "If you're sure."

Malik nodded, certain Christmas at Yugi's would be fun. "Sure as sure can be."

"Ah! That's what I forgot!" Otogi exclaimed, adding happily. "Ryou's friend, Pegasus gave you guys half an hour to be packed and ready to leave, and I believe he said the boat won't wait."

Malik jumped up, laughing, and nodding to the boys walked off. He was forced to spoil his cool exit, and run because Otogi yelled after him, "Mind you, that was fifteen minutes ago!"

Malik smirked as he ran. _I should lose more often, that talk was worth the one million plus wish. Now if it had been a wish fulfilled by Ryou…_

Malik's smirk turned into a grin. _I just have enough time to get the Senn Puzzle from Yugi and put it in with Ryou's stuff._


	13. Nostalgia

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch13: Nostalgia.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Really, really sorry about the delay! And please feel free to comment on anything that you want explained in the story. I'll try to make it as clear as possible, but there are some complicated ideas up ahead, so bear with me.

Thankyou to the few people who do give me feedback. I don't know what you guys think unless you tell me. J I am going to try to write several chapters in a short space of time which is new for me, so I can catch up to my schedule which was ruined by exams. Grrr. But don't let me keep you from the story…

* * *

F L A S H B A C K

Eight years ago, Sunday night

Kaiba Mansion

Seto surveyed the huge, dark room with a practical eye. He considered that he was too old for most of the toys in this room, but the dragon costume had potential, as did the sword and cape.

Both he and Mokuba would have considered it demeaning to play the damsel, and Seto did not want to pit them against each other in an epic duel, but the story could always be twisted into the adventures of a knight and his friend the dragon, or his brother who was enchanted to be a dragon, or some such.

Seto glanced at his baby brother, and found Mokuba staring wide eyed at the room. Since their arrival, and throughout their now month-long exploration of the 'Kaiba Castle', as Mokuba called it, Seto could feel his brother almost completely hiding behind him, firmly holding his hand.

Gozaburo scared Mokuba, which amused the former, and made Seto despise his new foster father even more than he had after their fist meeting in the orphanage. Then Seto had beaten Gozaburo at chess so the latter would adopt both brothers instead of just Seto.

The material point was that Gozaburo was, as evidenced by this room, extremely rich, powerful, and childless. Seto could put up with anything as long as he could be sure that his brother would have every material advantage. He had sworn to keep Gozaburo from Mokuba as much as he could.

This turned out to be easier than Seto had anticipated. As he had suspected, the man was a workaholic, but Seto had not thought that Gozaburo would only spend Sunday dinner with his new 'family'. This was the only time Gozaburo ever noticed Mokuba's existence, as he would, without fail, invite other businessmen over to watch the Kaibas play 'happy families'.

But something was different this week. Gozaburo had not come into their room Sunday morning as usual to warn Seto, in the presence of his brother, that he should keep Mokuba on his best behaviour, if either of them wanted to remain here.

Regardless, Seto pulled Mokuba back from the dusty pile of toys the latter had been itching to get his hands into, so their clothes could remain spotless and as much as was humanly possible, wrinkle free. Seto walked down to the dining room early as usual, and waited for the bell to sound and announce that dinner was ready.

This time, as always, there was someone in the lit room already, and Seto stayed out of the bright line of golden light that escaped the gap in the sliding doors and threw itself across the floor of the dark and gloomy hall.

What was unusual was the thin veil of smoke sneaking out from the top of the gap in the door, and only two voices coming from within, along with a clink of what Seto knew were glasses of very fine whiskey. Neither the Cuban cigars, nor the whiskey ever came out before dinner, and Gozaburo never invited only one person.

The idea that Gozaburo may have gone out and left his guests inside was soon dispelled by the resuming conversation, which had been stopped by a burst of laughter, when Seto and Mokuba had come down the stairs.

Gozaburo's voice was still tinged with mirth, and that was the first time Seto had ever heard the man really laugh or indeed sound happy. His voice was different when he was pretending. "You are one crazy son of a bitch." Gozaburo stated darkly.

Seto looked down at Mokuba, and then, making a decision, took his brother to the kitchen, asking the butler, who was having dinner there, how many guests had come. "But one young sir. A Mister Maxemillion Pegasus."

"Are we expected?"

The butler smiled kindly, an expression Seto had vowed he would never put up with again after the funeral of his parents. "I do not think so. The master usually does not like to be disturbed when Mr Pegasus visits. If I may be so bold sir, you are welcome to eat here."

Seto considered the offer but a moment. He was curious about this new guest, and had eaten an early dinner in front of his computer as a precaution, because he was forced to talk a lot by Gozaburo at family dinners, and almost never had time to eat anything.

_Dinner or no, I won't sit here and be pitied by the staff. Being adopted by HIM was a sound business decision. But Mokuba may appreciate the company, the staff have all been vetted with extreme care and they know they will have to answer to me when Gozaburo goes. I can keep a watch on the dining room, so Mokuba should be safe here. I don't want him exposed to HIM being HIMSELF._

Seto nodded, and pulled Mokuba forward, letting go of his brother's hand. "Mokuba's hungry."

Mokuba looked back at Seto with concerned blue eyes. "What about you big brother?"

"I already ate." Just as Mokuba was about to protest, the cook – a robust, cheerful woman built like a brick house – entered the kitchen with a sprig of parsley and a burst of cold air, happily shutting the door to the herb garden behind her. She gave directions to her helpers and the maids who came into the kitchen, and told the lounging waiters to stop sulking and start serving the entrées.

As soon as she spied Mokuba, there was a great exclamation, and without needing any explanation, the boy was soon being fussed over by the maids, sitting at the table, and getting first pick of every dish prepared for the staff, with a promise of 'a little treat' for desert.

Seto departed as soon as Mokuba was settled, lest the cook turn her attentions on him and insist that he was too thin and had to eat something. He made his way through the dark Mansion to the door of the dining room.

As he approached, he was privy to another burst of laughter. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" He heard Gozaburo say breathless with laughter, the sound of a fist pounding on the table.

"Ah," Came the silvery voice, sparkling with laughter that had to belong to Maxemillion Pegasus, "But you have not heard the end of it yet. I said…"

"And I said SHUT UP!" Interrupted Gozaburo. There was a moment's pause, and Gozaburo again exploded with laughter.

"Manners, Buro. Manners! I find your manner extremely offensive." Came a chiding, teary reply.

"And I… find… it extremely… offensive that… you're trying to… kill me… you… bastard." Gozaburo managed before exploding into another fit of laughter.

_Is this guy for real? _Seto thought, surprised by both the way Pegasus expressed himself and that he and Gozaburo seemed to be the best of friends. Seto had never thought that Gozaburo could have friends.

Finally the laughter subsided. Gozaburo sighed. "Just tell me how it ended."

"Humph!" Came the offended reply. "I thought you didn't want to hear."

"I don't want to hear, Max, I just want to _know._ If you can manage to sully your mouth with the bare facts for once."

"Buro, the bare facts are so _boring_. I _hate_ being boring." Pegasus whined.

Gozaburo sighed. "You can be a prissy, manipulative, evil, sadistic, masochistic and so on, prick, but the one thing you could never manage is boring."

"Well in that case, Harvey died, and I came here expecting to meet your new prodigy." Pegasus stated, adding, "Ooo, dinner," when a waiter walked past Seto with a tray, opening the sliding doors.

Gozaburo was slouching in his chair like the prehistoric man he resembled when at ease, hulking over the table, both elbows on it, in his work shirt, slightly unbuttoned, black tie askew. A glass of whiskey was in his hands, a lit cigar in his mouth, ash falling onto the tablecloth beside the half- empty bottle. He turned his black eyes to glower at Seto, his mouth spreading into a grin, speaking around his cigar. "Here he is. Seto Kaiba, meet Mr. Maxemillion Pegasus."

Seto suppressed a shudder and schooled his features into a calm façade, so that his disgust at the sight would not show. It was well he did take control of himself, for had he not he would have stared as he turned to regard Pegasus, and Gozaburo _hated_ when Seto was impolite.

Maxemillion Pegasus was lounging back in his chair which he balanced on two back legs, his feet resting on the chair next to him. As he was at an angle to the table, sitting opposite Gozaburo, Seto had full view of his immaculate silver tuxedo, and golden cravat, golden boots sitting under his chair on the floor. Pegasus' ridiculously long silver hair was held back in a ponytail with a golden ribbon. He put his lit cigar into the only ashtray on the table, and rested his arms on his stomach, his glass of whiskey within easy reach.

"Good evening," he said, nodding to Seto, reddish-brown eyes glancing briefly over him. "Kaiba-boy." Pegasus added, as an afterthought, breaking into a grin of pearly white.

Seto shuddered inwardly at the nickname and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you." He said schooling his voice to be as neutral as possible, though it still came out cold.

Maxemillion Pegasus smiled, and set his chair down carefully before rising and shaking the boy's hand. Then he resumed his previous position, as the waiters brought in dinner.

After getting a frown from Gozaburo, a waiter set a place for Seto and the boy sat down at the table. Dinner passed in pleasant conversation, Gozaburo remaining silent, just watching and eating as Pegasus enquired about how Seto was settling in, his grades and the like. The only comment Gozaburo made during the entire meal was to tell Seto that he always worked through the holidays, usually with several trips abroad.

After dinner was over and cleared away, the three of them the only ones left in the dining room, Pegasus looked over at Gozaburo and smiled in a pleasant, offhand way. "Kaiba–boy certainly is a find, Buro. But explain to me why you don't like my idea."

Gozaburo groaned. "Because it's stupid. What shit-for-brains came up with the idea that making little children happy would make me happy I want to know?"

Pegasus looked down on the table. "Tactful, very tactful. I think making little children happy could make you a lot more money than making little children dead is all. Making money makes you happy." Pegasus looked up at the last, eyes enquiring.

"But at what cost?" Exclaimed Gozaburo frowning. "And no fucking dandy's gonna lecture me," he glanced warningly at Pegasus, the latter nodding, "But they'll say I've gone soft and you don't go back on the contacts I have without losing an arm even if they think you're bloody concrete."

Gozaburo punctuated every point by tapping his finger on the table hard enough to make the whiskey he put down during dinner jump in its glass. "The only damn machines I want anything to do with are those that blow things and people to smithereens. I have more desire to get up the snotty noses of those whining greenie and human rights mother fuckers by littering their fields of vision with tiny corpses than I have for making a buck."

Then Gozaburo seemed to calm down, picking up his cigar that had gone on the table during dinner, ruining the fine tablecloth. He added, smirking. "Shit Max, why even ask?"

"It isn't the Cold War anymore Buro," said Pegasus gently, calmly and with the tone of repeating facts to a person who should know them well already, that is a slightly bored tone. "Politics are going to be against you, the government is just going to come down harder and harder so you'll have to change to survive and as you are the best survivor I have ever encountered…"

Gozaburo smirked at Pegasus. "Leave boy." Seto did not have to be told twice, and quickly left the room, stopping outside, out of the light. Gozaburo's voice, getting darker and more vehement, continued. "I'll survive the way I always have Max, _my_ way. The hypocrisy of those dickhead politicians isn't gonna make me change my mind.

"Don't you play nice Max; I know what's in your head." Here his voice rose in pitch as he mocked Pegasus's manner of expressing himself. Being a consummate actor, Gozaburo's parody was very good. "'The poor bastard is trying to show the whole fucking world that human rights start at home, the violations of which no shit for brains government sees when it happens in their own country, and I can use him to my advantage.'"

"I wouldn't have put it quite like that." It took a few moments for Seto to realize that he had just heard Pegasus reply.

"You are the most deluded, pompous fuck that ever walked the earth, you know that?" There was a pause and the dark words, warm with anger seemed to echo in the silence. Gozaburo continued, in the lecturing tone Seto became used to hearing after Gozaburo took it upon himself to teach Seto about running Kaiba Corp. "Let me elucidate my philosophy. Profit, power and damage. Hell would have to freeze before something I do makes someone else happier than it makes me. You know what made me really happy ever since I was a kid?"

"The tears and fear that you elicit from other people. You told me once." Pegasus chimed in, in his own lecturing tone.

"Well I'll be fucked. You remembered." Gozaburo sounded surprised and pleased.

"I remember a lot more than people think." Pegasus said happily.

Gozaburo replied in a tone that grew more and more annoyed. "And you think a lot more than people remember, _and_ make everything… about…. _you_." Here Gozaburo's tone turned darker and nastier than Seto had ever heard it before. "Well remember this. Seto is _not_ for you to screw around with. That kid is my legacy. He is what I leave to all the fuckers out there."

"Why should _I_ remember that?" Pegasus asked pompously, sounding bored.

"Coz. you're his godfather." Seto felt a shiver run down his spine at the satisfied tone, and heard one chair creak, undeniably Gozaburo's as Pegasus's chair was probably still precariously balanced.

"In the mafia sense of the word?" Pegasus asked excitedly after a pause, neither arguing nor sounding surprised, and Gozaburo chuckled.

"Yeah, like that deal in Tashkent was art in the Jack the Ripper sense of the word." Here both men slowly started laughing again, building up to a full roar, the tension from before fading away, a dull thump indicating that Pegasus's chair returned to its natural position.

"And then… if I remember correctly… you commissioned me a portrait!" Pegasus said, barely able to speak for laughing.

"I'm such a… patron… of the arts." Gozaburo added, fuelling the laughter.

"Such a good pick of painters too, if I remember, you ended up with a landscape." Pegasus added in a silvery tone, laughter tinging his voice.

"I call it the Calais massacre!" Both men chorused, and then burst into laughter once more.

Seto was jogged out of his reverie by Mokuba tugging on his sleeve, offering a bowl of lollies. Seto shook his head, smiling inwardly in the dark, and felt Mokuba's hand as it slipped into his.

Seto led his little brother back upstairs, sure in the knowledge that Mokuba had six Gozaburo-free days ahead of him, had no reason to ever meet Maxemillion Pegasus and that the holidays were coming up very soon and there was a dragon costume in the toy room.

F L A S H B A C K

* * *

Yugi Moto studied the card in his hands as he walked with his grandfather who had recently come home from the hospital. It was a card that Pegasus had given him for winning the tournament, aside from all the other prizes. It was called the 'Ties of Friendship' and was one of a kind. Funnily enough, Pegasus forgot to mention what the card did, and in the chaos of departure, Yugi had not had an opportunity to ask.

_It's not the best beginning for the King of Games._

Yugi smiled, incapable of feeling any emotion apart from happiness. He was here, walking with his grandfather and all of his friends, except for Malik, who had some family issues to sort out. Yugi had, after a bit of thought told Malik that if he wanted to spend Christmas with his family, he'd understand, but Malik had just laughed and said the Nile would freeze first. He was going to break the news to them today, he'd told Yugi on Honda's mobile phone today.

_On the topic of family,_ Yugi turned to look worriedly at his grandfather. It seemed to Yugi that his grandfather was probably tired, and he waited for an opportunity to say so.

It took some time; because Yugi's friends were busy telling Mr. Moto all about the tournament, often arguing about the details, each having remembered events differently. Yugi personally thought they would argue less if Mai wasn't constantly interrupting Jounochi with funny, if slightly mean remarks, but his grandfather's health came first.

Sugoroku Moto smiled at his grandson's concern, saying that he was 'as fit as a fiddle', and stretched to prove it, almost putting out his back.

Needless to say, Yugi was far from convinced, and much entreating ensued from Yugi, Shizuka and Anzu, who backed him up. Jounochi argued against them, until Mai said that his opinion didn't count because he was stupid, and Jounochi, who didn't hit girls, couldn't come up with a reply except to call Mai names, ending with prissy superficial barby wannabe. To this Honda pointed out that Jounochi had better watch his mouth in front of his little sister, and a scuffle broke out.

At length, Grandpa agreed, and they were about to turn around to walk back to the store, when a little girl walked up and blocked their path, telling Yugi that he had really freaky hair, that she knew boys spiked their hair nowadays, which she thought was stupid, but his was ridiculous, and that pink, black and yellow clashed anyway.

Jounochi asked her if she had a point, and she said she did, asking if Yugi's Grandpa was Sugoroku Moto.

"I am, little girl." Yugi's Grandfather replied.

"And I am Rebecca. I came from America to find you. You have my Blue Eyes White Dragon and I want it back right now!" The girl said, stomping her foot. Then she turned to her teddy bear, asking if he agreed, and then talked for the teddy bear while moving its mouth that yes, he certainly agreed.

Rebecca looked very young. She had blond hair in two ponytails and clear blue eyes, was dressed in a pink jumper and short dark red skirt, black school shoes and white socks. With one hand she hugged a brown teddy bear to herself.

Yugi's Grandpa smiled and said that he did have a Blue Eyes White Dragon, but that there was a problem, but before he could say what the problem was, the girl interrupted.

"God dammit! I don't care. Don't you know who I am? I'm the American Dueling Champion," here she paused to be backed up by the teddy bear, "That card belongs to me, not some potty old man!" Once again, the teddy agreed.

"How old are you?" Asked Honda.

"Twelve." Rebecca replied proudly.

Jounochi said something and Rebecca replied, but it was completely lost on Yugi, who suddenly remembered an article he'd read before going to Duelist Kingdom, which talked about the best duelists in the world, one of which was the American Champion, a dueling prodigy, who also happened to be a little girl.

Yugi looked at his grandpa and nodded, for some reason, beside him; Honda was holding an angry Jounochi back.

Grandpa smiled at Rebecca. "Why do you think the Blue Eyes belongs to you?" He asked, kindly.

Rebecca frowned. "God damn! You stole it from me Sugoroku Moto!" Again the teddy agreed. "You stole it and if you won't give it back, I will duel you for it."

Grandpa sighed. "I didn't steal it, but I can't give it to you anyway."

"Then duel me, thief!"

Yugi had had enough, and his grandfather was looking more tired than before. "My Grandpa is no thief, but he is not well, I will duel you."

Rebecca looked at her teddy, who shrugged. "Sure." she replied, and led the way inside the shopping centre Yugi and his friends had walked to, down the familiar path to the arcade.

_What this is all about? How did Grandpa get that Blue Eyes? It's not playable now that it's torn but why can't he give it to the girl? _Were the questions that ran though Yugi's head as he felt his deck in one pocket and his new card in the other.

The arcade looked very different today, and much fuller than usual. It seemed like there were not only more players to admire the new décor, but also more staff, all busy going somewhere and doing something, all following the directions of the beefy manager, everyone just knew as Ludo.

In the middle of all this movement, stood Otogi, arms crossed. Rebecca made her way to him and asked if the arena was ready, and he nodded. When he saw Yugi and the gang he smiled and greeted them, annoying Jounochi by bowing to Shizuka, whose blindfold had been removed not long ago, to reveal kind brown eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Jounochi grumpily.

Otogi smiled, casually stretching. "I own this place Jounochi."

As Jounochi seemed dumbfounded by the reply, Otogi laughed and clarified. "Only for a year. Kaiba Corp. is helping me launch my new game."

Rebecca looked impatiently at Yugi and the others, then disappeared into the crowd. Grandpa followed her, and one by one, Yugi's friends streamed after him. Yugi lingered only long enough to remind Otogi that they had agreed to duel, to which Otogi replied that he hadn't forgotten, that he'd let Yugi know when and that Yugi should go because everybody would be waiting for him.

Yugi smiled and nodded, then left to go to the dueling arena in the back of the arcade, where he usually dueled his friends in his spare time.

* * *

Seto Kaiba, when home was usually an early riser. But, today he came downstairs later than usual, dressed in casual black because he expected that Otogi was going to the arcade and that he, Seto, could spend at least one day in the foreseeable future completely Otogi-free.

From Otogi, Seto's mind naturally went to Pegasus and from the latter, to the events at Duellist Kingdom. It was easy for Seto to rationally explain the strange things he saw – he must have fallen unconscious after losing the duel to Pegasus, no matter how much he did not like to admit it.

_In my defence I had not eaten or drunk anything that day or the one before, had been awake all night, was under physical strain the day before, not to mention my duel with Yugi Moto. There was also Pegasus trying to psyche me out by knocking Mokuba out and showing me that card. _That _could have been done a hundred different ways._

Seto thought that everything after he lost consciousness must therefore logically have been a dream, and the fact that the outcome of the duel he saw in his dream between Pegasus and Yugi Moto was the same as that of the actual duel between those two, only meant that people who were unconscious really did know what was going on around them regardless of their state.

Seto had not asked Mokuba or Mr. Moto for their version of events because even the thought of doing so sounded stupid, bothersome and beyond crazy in his head. The last thing he needed was people thinking he wasn't in his right mind. _The Big Five would have a field day!_

Besides which, Seto thought that the most important thing was that he got Mokuba back, though he had not been able to prove Otogi's part in it, as Mokuba did not remember anything until he awoke in the castle dungeon. Seto was also going to pay the price of being indebted to someone else for Mokuba's safe return – he was forced to promise Mokuba he would be at Yugi Moto's for Christmas along with his brother and no doubt a host of Yugi's friends.

Seto intended to spend the day forgetting about the upcoming torture by introducing Mokuba to the virtual reality game he had been developing, and all had been made ready beforehand for a quiet getaway to Seto's secret lab.

Unfortunately, as Seto had often observed, Otogi seemed to try to resemble his idol, Pegasus, in every way he could, stopping short at fashion. The one thing that Otogi seemed to have acquired completely was Pegasus' habit of throwing a wrench in the works of any plan Seto made relating to him.

Seto groaned inwardly as, upon walking into the downstairs play-station room, he saw Otogi comforting a distraught looking Mokuba. The sight of Mokuba on the verge of tears was one Seto had not witnessed since his loss in the little local tournament. It took an extreme effort on Seto's part not to walk over and ask what had upset his little brother, but to focus instead on the most annoying person Seto had ever met, Otogi.

Otogi was listening to Mokuba, nodding occasionally, a sad smile on his face, looking relaxed as always. Seto was divided as to a plan of action.

_It's my house, and I have the right to go anywhere I like in it without being announced. _That was true. It was also true that Mokuba had not long ago been granted the privilege of having people knock and get permission before they came into his room. Seto had not been able to argue with pleading blue eyes and 'don't you trust me big brother?'

_Mokuba is growing up and does deserve to have his privacy respected even by me. I won't have it like in the days when Gozaburo used to walk into our room unannounced. _

So Seto, arms crossed and deeply annoyed, waited for either Otogi or Mokuba to notice his presence.

_I hope that git upset Mokuba. It would give me great pleasure to toss him out onto the street. _

"Still here?" Seto asked finally, his patience worn out.

"I see someone never learned how to knock." Said Otogi calmly, not looking up from Mokuba.

_So he knew I was here. _Seto felt the day could not start any worse. The guy Seto took in because he had nowhere else to go was lecturing Seto in Seto's house, on not having respect for privacy, a word that Otogi did not know the meaning of because it was conspicuously missing from his vocabulary.

"It's all right Otogi." Mokuba said, smiling teary-eyed at Seto, "you should go to the arcade."

_What's more, he seems to be protecting Mokuba, my job, from the last person in the world that would hurt him, me!_

"No rush." Otogi replied happily.

Seto wanted to yell that it was his house, and his brother. But though Seto was seething inwardly, smouldering with anger, his much practiced control did not slip, allowing him to come back with a cold question instead, the answer to which he knew would be to his advantage. "Did you?"

Otogi did look up this time, smirking. "On the other hand, I should let you two _bond. _It must be ages since you last had the chance." And with that biting reply, the meaning of which Mokuba seemed to miss entirely, nodding in agreement, Otogi leisurely got up and strolled past Seto, in the direction of the front door.

As he had wished, Seto was left alone with his brother, though there was some residual annoyance at Otogi, who didn't know what he was talking about.

_I have to work overtime; otherwise the Big Five would run the company, with all the free time they needed to get rid of me. Then Mokuba would have much bigger things to worry about than spending enough time with his big brother._

Seto smirked, looking in the direction Otogi had gone, satisfied that the boy knew nothing about his life.

"Big brother?" asked Mokuba, tears in his voice, interrupting Seto's train of thought.

Seto walked into the room and closed the door, knowing that the servants always knocked, and that Otogi would do the same after Seto's question.

He picked up a box of tissues and walked over to where Mokuba sat, kneeling in front of his brother, handing over the box.

"Seto." was all Mokuba said before tears spilled down his face and he jumped into his brother's arms, ignoring the box. Seto put it down, and then put his arms around his crying brother.

"What's wrong?" He asked, cool, calm and controlling his emotions.

The sight of his brother's tears never failed to make Seto either angry, if there was something he could do about the problem or want to burst into tears himself if he could not help. Right now, his emotions hung precariously between the two states.

Mokuba's reply was somewhat muffled by Seto's matt black, now moist woollen top. "Rebecca'sgoingaway! It'snotlikeshewasgoingtobehereforever, she was only here on exchange, butSetoIwassohappywhenIfoundoutshewascomingandnowshesaidshehastogo coz. her grandpa is going back. Shecan'tevenseemeonherlastday, coz. she said she had something very important to do and that she can't duel with me watching. You can duel when I watch, can't you, big brother?" Here Mokuba pulled away, to look at Seto.

Seto had barely had time to process the torrent of words, and the lack of clarity did not make it any easier. He decided to first reassure his brother, and then start getting to the root of the actual problem.

_The older he gets, the less sense he makes. I just hope it isn't like that time he couldn't get past a puzzle in a game for three months and woke me up in the middle of the night in tears saying he was stupid._

Keeping all traces of bewildered amusement from his voice, Seto replied. "I can," adding before the tears that built up in Mokuba's eyes spilled, "I'm a professional."

This was the wrong thing to say as tears once again ran down Mokuba's face, and Seto let him go to sit on the couch and blow his nose with a tissue.

"So is she." Mokuba managed to explain.

Seto looked down, letting his brother compose himself, thinking on the problem. Obviously, this Rebecca did not live in Domino and was the girl Mokuba was dating. Assuming she was around Mokuba's age, there was only one professional duellist that fitted that description: the current Duel Monsters American Champion, Rebecca Hopkins.

The girl was reputedly a duelling genius and this year competed for the first time in the World Duelling Championship that Seto had won second time running. Given that not every country in the world had a national champion to enter in the championship that year; it was still impressive that she finished in the top sixteen. Seto had personally just missed out on duelling her, for he had to duel the winner of her match in the quarter-finals.

Though still unsure of whether Mokuba was upset about the fact that Rebecca was going away, couldn't duel with him present, was not spending her last day in Domino with him, or some other reason, Seto did know something to reassure his brother.

Seto looked up at the now slightly more composed Mokuba. "Rebecca Hopkins doesn't duel with anybody she knows in the audience. They say emotions put her off."

Mokuba nodded, tearing up again. "I want to go see her. This duel is important, she said so, if she loses..."

"Then go." Seto stated.

"Where big brother?" Mokuba asked, looking at Seto with now dry, concerned blue eyes.

Seto sighed inwardly. _I will shoot myself if I ever get this thick because of some girl._

"Where is the best place to duel?"

"The arcade! OhandIcanwatchtheduelwithoutbeingintheaudience! Thanksbigbrother!" Said a now excited Mokuba, hugged Seto, then jumped up, and ran to the door, opened it, narrowly avoided colliding with Pegasus who was standing right behind it, then took off down the corridor, exclaiming "helloMr.Pegasus!" as he looked over his shoulder.

Seto turned to Pegasus and the latter raised a hand. "You might want to get her something!" He called down the corridor when Mokuba came rushing past in the opposite direction, dressed for going out.

"WhyMr.Pegasus?" Called Mokuba from the hall, where he was no doubt putting on his shoes.

"If you're going to go against a person's wishes, it's best to soothe their ego as you go!" Pegasus replied, then offside to Seto he said, "At least that is what I find."

"ThanksMr.PegasusIwill,byebigbrother!" Called Mokuba, and then with a bang of the front door was gone.

_It looks like my plans will have to wait till tomorrow. A good thing I have three cars with drivers now. Otherwise at this rate, I would have had to walk everywhere._

Seto stood, raising an eyebrow at Pegasus.

Maxemillion Pegasus, formally attired in a familiar silver tuxedo and gold boots smiled at Seto, his golden eye flashing in the sunlight streaming in through the window. "They grow up so quickly."

* * *

Ryou Bakura looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, having washed the knife and put it back in the cupboard.

He had given it time to work, but strangely the new way he used to focus his mind was not helping him at all today. His thoughts were in about as much turmoil as they had been when he woke up.

For some time now, the only clarity he could get was in studying, and there was only so much of that he could do before it became ridiculous; the new knowledge pushing out the old.

_Alright, I am sure I can sort this out if I just take some time._

Ryou's head was a mess, it had been like that to some extent ever since his father had given him the Senn Ring, but then the only mystery had been the other presence in his life. That was solved now, and he knew about Bakura, and kinda liked him in a weird way.

_Back in those days I must admit, I was pretty freaked out a lot of the time. _Ryou smiled. _It seems silly now. And I am determined, never to go there again!_

But other issues had popped up since then, plaguing his mind. He had started having nightmares about Bandit Keith, and that added to his other worries, and didn't let him get much sleep. Keith had wanted his Millennium Item, had stolen it and now that Ryou had it back, the thought of Keith maybe coming back for it was unnerving. When he wasn't worried about that, there were the issues of his new friends to consider.

Otogi was, Ryou supposed, his friend now, in a way, but Ryou found it hard to be comfortable around him. It was hard to know what Otogi was going to make fun of next, and his inquisitiveness bothered Ryou as he was a private person.

There was Maxemillion Pegasus, who Ryou knew through Otogi. He had learnt first through Otogi, then through little signs from Pegasus himself that Bakura had some kind of understanding with the man. Ryou wasn't too worried about that, rather the fact that Pegasus did not seem to know that Ryou wasn't Bakura occasionally troubled him.

Yugi Moto. Yugi had invited Ryou over for Christmas and Ryou had known him and his friends for a while now in an official sort of way. They were nicer than most of the groups at school and always stopped to say hello if they saw him, but never pried into his life.

Rashid Ishtar. That strange man, Malik's adopted older brother, who Ryou was admittedly, afraid of. They had formed a sort of strange connection through their worry over Malik when he'd been unconscious, but Ryou tried to avoid him as much as he could. Ryou suspected Rashid was a Rare Hunter, belonging to the same strange group that had assaulted him, and tried unsuccessfully to take a card that he still had. Ryou was worried they may try again.

_Sounds strangely familiar._

His of thought now brought Ryou to the biggest conundrum in his life – Malik. They were friends, officially, but the agreement between them was new and so would take a little getting used to. They didn't hang out together at school, either. Ryou was usually tagging along with Otogi, and Malik was with Yugi and his friends.

Ryou found he was very uncomfortable around Malik, and they met frequently in the strangest circumstances, which didn't help. In fact since the usually bumped into each other in Ryou's flat, Ryou was sure the boy had something going with Bakura. Ryou had to admit felt kind of strange about it, almost jealous.

_But of course it makes no sense to be jealous because he's really me in a way._

Then, there was also Namu, Malik's alter ego, who had complicated things by getting very interested in Ryou. He had taken to visiting, ever since Duellist Kingdom, in the middle of the night, and well, Ryou still occasionally got bruises, but nothing like the first time, and not intentionally anymore.

_Well, at least not in a premeditated way, I'm sure some of them were intentional it's that look he gets…_

Namu was very intense. He obviously cared a lot about everything, and he terrified Ryou quite often. But then, Namu also seemed to care intensely about Ryou, in a strange 'nobody can hurt him but me' kind of way. Ryou had no idea if Namu loved him or hated him, but there was definitely something there.

_I'm probably just stressed about my first real Christmas since mum died. _Ryou thought, closing the medicine cabinet.

He couldn't help adding, _that and whether people are coming after me, to take my stuff. Padded cell, here I come!_

* * *

Malik Ishtar's resident swore, and it echoed in the steamy bathroom.

It was the first weekend he could take a long morning shower as he wasn't working overtime at the arcade with Honda. A while ago Ludo announced that the arcade was going to a new owner for a year. It meant that everyone had to come in to work as much as was humanly possible to help redecorate, inventory everything, watch the electricians and other workmen look over the premises and make repairs where needed.

On the up side, the new staffroom was much more comfortable although the new décor would not have been out of place in a vampire movie. The entire room was painted black, with neon red lights and a new black mini fridge, outlined with neon red lights. The drinks dispenser had been replaced with a water cooler, or what Honda – who had overseen the delivery – _said_ was a water cooler, though nobody could be sure because it fit into the room so well that the liquid inside looked red. Mind, the brave few that drank from it invariably said that it was indeed water. However nobody ruled out the idea that there was something suss about that 'water' and consequently about everyone who drank it. The couch was new, velvet red and shaped like a cross, and the roster was black with glowing red writing, a special pen glowing beside it.

Funnily enough, though the new staffroom was more comfortable, it did not encourage people to spend any more time in it than the old one. It did something to people's eyes if they spent too long in there. The décor outside was a bit less extreme. The basic theme did change from blue, black and silver to black, deep red and green but that was about all. There was a rumour going around that they were going to trial a new game but the only way to know for sure was to wait and see because nobody wanted to ask Ludo.

Malik Ishtar's resident swore again.

In the process of examining the boy's memory of Duellist Kingdom, he had come across a fact that would have amused Bakura for hours on end no doubt, had he been privy to it. However, Marik did not find this fact amusing AT ALL!

It turned out that Malik had had possession of the Senn Puzzle twice for brief periods of time when Marik had been too busy interpreting dreams and being angry with Bakura to notice. As far as he could tell, the Puzzle was now back with Bakura.

Marik thought of the most suitable curse he could, among the many now dead languages he liked to swear in. It was his way of keeping intact a little piece from each of his most distant past lives. The only down side he could see to reincarnation was the inevitable development of what he liked to call 'old man syndrome'.

_Ah, things were much simpler back then, mostly because people questioned things less and there were less things, and indeed people. Of course in most places, the lack of hygiene was… In retrospect, it is amazing what I have been forced to put up with. Mind, in some places the most atrocious conditions remain. How ironic; the one thing from my past lives or to be more precise, deaths, that I want to forget is the only thing that has been preserved in various forms all over the world._

Marik's take on 'death' was a point of contention between himself and Bakura. The breaks in between their lives were of indeterminate length. Both of them spent these breaks locked in their respective Millennium Items, in absolute darkness until the items were once again reunited with their vessels.

Marik had long ago learnt from a Malik much like his present host, that the items were destined for the vessels and so theoretically found their own way into the destined hands if they possibly could.

Once items were reunited with their vessels, Marik, and here he had compared notes with Bakura, who had agreed that they were 'awakened'. Furthermore, once 'awakened', if the items became separated from the vessel, they were both locked inside but for as long as the vessel lived, both could 'reside' in the body and mind of anyone who carried the items about their person.

If the vessel had the item upon death, both Marik and Bakura were forced to be present at the event and then got locked in their items until their next lives. Marik had once, just for fun, when Bakura had died on him, tested what would happen if the item was in somebody else's hands when the vessel died.

The only difference it seemed to make was that Marik watched his vessel's death from a third person perspective, then got locked in the item. He had then repeated the process and found that the distance of the item from the vessel, for instance, being on the other side of the world, increased the distance from the dramatic spectacle logarithmically. The maximum he had ever been able to make it was ten meters. Marik was waiting for interstellar travel before he would resume.

Marik grinned at the steamed up glass shower door and drew a smiley face on it, then switched off the water, got out, dried himself and put on Rashid's giant furry blue bathrobe.

Rashid put down the phone just as he came into the living room, and Marik looked at his hand, then showed it to his brother. "Look I'm a prune."

Rashid smirked as the two of them lived there alone and gestured to steaming pancakes on the kitchen table. "Food is ready Master."

Marik grinned and walked over, the bottom of the robe dragging on the floor. He felt more relaxed than he had in ages, having come home late, or rather early, slept in, then had a very long shower. "You want to know why I was out so late, or rather want to tell me not to do it so much."

Rashid sat down at the table and sat down, answering only when Marik was also seated at the table. "As protector I worry," he looked across the table, meeting Marik's eyes, "as a brother, I worry."

Marik grinned, as memories of the night before threatened to spoil the perfect morning of a lord at leisure, making him unable to eat his delicious looking breakfast. They were attempting to make him want something slightly different.

"I want to talk about something else."

Rashid nodded, and waited for Marik to start eating before starting himself. "Certainly, master, there is an issue I need to bring to your attention."

Marik sighed. "I don't want to talk about work this early in the morning."

"Master it is after noon." Rashid corrected, looking at the clock.

Marik was unfazed, "this early in the afternoon." he amended.

"Then you will be glad to know that it was Ishizu on the phone."

Marik groaned. "Did you tell her that Malik has an engagement to keep at Christmas and New Year's Eve?"

"Yes." Said Rashid and thoughtfully put some butter onto a pancake. Marik could see there was a 'but' coming, and knowing Ishizu…

"Darling sister is coming over, determined she can make me change my mind?" Marik guessed, grinning when Rashid nodded. Marik twisted a pancake dripping with syrup so the entire thing fit on his fork. "Well, she'll have to take that up with Malik, you tell him when I'm gone."

Rashid looked up from his meal, Marik knew his protector knew him well, so he waited for the question. "You are not usually so patient Master, is there something more important on your mind?"

Marik looked down at his plate and pushed it away. Breakfast was ruined already anyway, and the memories from the night before wouldn't go away.

"Where do you think a person resides? To be a person, does someone have to own a single physical body, or brain, or do you think it's more the soul? Or is a person the sum of their memories?" Marik studied Rashid as the latter cut his pancake into quarters.

"Most people would say the brain. Even those that are religious have to admit a person can exist without a soul, otherwise how could one sell it or lose it? Memories would mean you're a different person every second of every day, and the idea that a person is less of a person because they've for instance, lost a leg is no longer socially acceptable."

Here Rashid looked up from his plate and straight at Marik. "On this one thing, I agree with Ishizu, master. You and Malik are both equally parts of my brother."

"Only _she_ thinks I'm some kind of possessing spirit." Marik said bitterly, smiling all the while. He had considered the thought himself once or twice, but it was so demeaning to think of yourself as a body snatching spirit, that he rejected the idea.

_Besides, it doesn't explain why I seem to be attached to this vessel, unless that's the fault of the item…_

Rashid shrugged. "Ishizu thinks what she thinks. I say you are my brother. Perhaps she does not want to accept that she has a brother like you, Master."

Marik grinned, because it sounded like the sort of thing Ishizu would do. "Perhaps, though you're skating on thin ice there."

Rashid smiled and bowed. "A brother who has it in him to take the power of the pharaoh, something he truly deserves, may Ra give me heatstroke and deny me water in the desert if I am mistaken."

Marik laughed. "Then I will see that you are not wrong."

Rashid ate thoughtfully for a while, then spoke. "What brought this on, Master?"

Marik, who was watching him, eyes sparkling with mirth, grinned. "Just thinking. I lost an ally, a lover, a close friend and a business partner, all in a very short space of time. I am wondering if I was wrong to dismiss them."

"What did they do?"

"The business partner stole from me, the lover betrayed me, and I got angry at everybody else. Admittedly, I discovered the theft last, mainly due to the lover's betrayal."

"With who?"

"My other half, while I was away."

"I see. I assume the lover knew." Marik grinned, nodding. He had made that mistake before. "Then," continued Rashid, "It is my duty to remind my master that he is never wrong. An ally should have prevented these things from occurring unless they were in the dark, the lover is wrong unless they take certain views on what a person is, the close friend should have been there to explain events and support you, and the business partner should never take what rightfully belongs to you."

Marik had started smiling at the beginning of the speech, and was now chuckling. "A nice summation, Rashid. The ally was in the dark, the lover probably subscribes to certain views, the close friend was dismissed before they could help and the business partner took what belonged more to them than to me."

"But they crossed your plans, Master."

"Mmm. And that makes them wrong, but I can't fix it."

Rashid stood to clear away the plates. "No, Master Marik. It is impossible to fix something without being able to get close to it."

Marik shook his head. "Enough. Oh, I know, I know you _asked_. This is the way my thoughts have been bending, and there's no point really, they are going the way of that Australian boomerang. It will just take time for them to come back, and meanwhile I waste perfectly good days thinking."

Again, it was that lull before action was possible that aggravated Marik. Last night, Bakura had 'accidentally' taken hold of Ryou, and Marik had not said anything. It was just a matter of time until red-eyes made his move.

Marik looked at his brother to find Rashid looking expectantly at him, hands in the sink.

"What?" Marik enquired, happily.

"I asked if you had considered that this thinking might be preparing you for your reply when they come back." Rashid repeated, going back to rinsing the dishes.

Marik laughed. "That is a point. Yeah! I think therefore I am a brilliantly evil genius!"

Just then there was a knock on the door and the phone rang. Marik looked from one to the other, and chose the phone, it being closer. As Marik made his way slowly over to the phone, Rashid set the dishes to dry and cleared the rest of the table, then going to answer the door.

Marik sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted, and annoyed. _Why is it the one day I decide to play lord at leisure, everybody decides they desperately have to talk to me?_

"Yes?" Marik asked, dejectedly as at the same time Rashid admitted Ishizu and Shadi, looking strange in winter coats. There was no time to warn Malik, it looked like he had to deal with Malik's darling sister himself.

* * *

Yugi had a challenging duel. When it began, any time Yugi destroyed a monster of Rebecca's she had called him mean. She also tended to converse with her teddy in between turns.

Meanwhile, offside, Yugi's grandpa had said that her playing style was very familiar.

As the duel progressed, and Yugi found himself in deep trouble, Rebecca dropped the little girl act, completely ignoring her toy and talking between turns only to reply to other people.

This she did several times, first when Jounochi said that she must have been taught by somebody as good as Yugi's Grandpa, who was solely responsible for Jounochi's rapid improvement prior to his first official tournament. Rebecca had replied something Yugi didn't quite catch, as he was concentrating on the game.

He did catch her reply when his Grandpa asked her what her last name was. She said she was Rebecca Hopkins, and that her grandfather was Arthur Hopkins the man whose Blue Eyes Yugi's grandpa stole.

Yugi interjected on his grandfather's behalf, but it was no use, and she insisted that Sugoroku Moto was a thief and that Yugi was either a thief as well or very stupid to defend him. Yugi again stood up for his grandfather and she said that the Blue Eyes was her grandfather's favorite card, that he would not have parted with it for anything and the only way Yugi's grandpa could have gotten it was to steal it.

Yugi could not argue with that, and turned to his grandpa, who smiled and told everyone of how he met Arthur Hopkins in Egypt, years ago on an archeological dig. He said that he had gone to Egypt because he was interested in Duel Monsters, which wasn't very well known back then and they said that that was where the idea for the game had originated. He had not counted on it being so hot, and had run out of water, Professor Hopkins had helped him out and they became friends.

They had also become friends because Sugoroku Moto had believed him on a point very dear to his heart. Arthur Hopkins was convinced that Duel Monsters had existed in Ancient Egypt, as he kept finding references to it, along with the word 'game' in different sources. There was a fragment of evidence that the monsters might have been used in battle with enemies, and another that the cards may have been used to predict the future. These fantastic theories were the reason that he was laughed at in archeological circles despite being a brilliant archeologist.

In the end, Hopkins found a tenuous link between the game, and a set of 'Millennium Items', and a place called the 'Shadow Realm', where using the items and monsters, a group of powerful men battled each other for extremely high stakes. Each item supposedly had amazing powers, and were someone to gather them all…He also believed that there was a special set of cards called 'God Cards', that were so powerful, that combined, they rivaled the strength of the items. If a person gathered all the God Cards, or Millennium Items, or both, they would be powerful enough to rule the world.

After a pause, Grandpa coughed and clarified that there was no conclusive proof for any of this, and nobody really believed it beyond perhaps himself and Hopkins. He also added that the old scriptures tended to be dramatic, that to the Ancient Egyptians, the whole civilized world was Egypt, and that they evidently thought highly of those who won these Shadow Duels, so to rule the world, or really Egypt, all one probably had to do was to beat the pharaoh in a Shadow Duel.

Anzu was the first to cut in after Grandpa had finished his story, all of Yugi's friends being used to the way his grandpa tended to digress into reminiscences, forgetting to explain the crucial point everybody was interested in. "Did he give you the card Mr. Moto?"

"Oh!" Yugi's grandpa was suddenly recalled to the present, "Yes, that's right."

The bored voice of Rebecca interrupted saying that Grandpa was a liar, that her grandfather would never have given away his Blue Eyes.

Grandpa frowned at the girl, probably coming to the end of his patience. "Listen and you may learn something." he replied and continued with his story. One time, the two of them, he and Hopkins had gotten trapped in a tomb because the entrance had caved in. They lit a lamp and waited for rescue. They soon ate all the remaining food and only had enough water for one person. They played for it…

Here, Rebecca interrupted saying that Grandpa was just making things up and that it was Yugi's turn already. Jounochi told her to be quiet and stop being a brat, but Grandpa agreed they had paused for too long.

After the turn, Rebecca was down to 200 life points as Yugi had managed to turn the duel around. She threw a tantrum, swearing to defeat Yugi, and destroyed every monster he had out with one car, discarding her hand and drawing a new one, then summoning Shadow Ghoul, a monster that gained 100 attack points for each of the eleven monsters in her graveyard, added to the points it already had, it became a very powerful 2700.

Yugi didn't hear the comments made offside by his friends; he was suddenly feeling sad for all the monsters that she so happily discarded.

_Each monster deserves respect because it fights _for you_. You can't just discard it like it was nothing!_

Yugi told her as much, but Rebecca just replied that hair jell must have leaked into his skull, that a family of thieves can't know anything about dueling. It was all a game, about winning through skill and tactics. Her strategies were those she learned from her grandfather, and anyway, duel monster's weren't real, and why should anyone respect painted pieces of paper?

"Then you have never found the heart of the cards." Yugi said with feeling, sure now that he had to and would win the game, if only so she would be kinder to her cards in the future.

There were some comments offside, but he didn't hear them and the duel progressed, culminating in Yugi drawing the card he needed to win the game. He looked at the card, and then at the girl, who looked so determined to win at any cost, then put a hand on his deck, to show his surrender.

The duel was over.

His friends were shocked, Rebecca was ecstatic and ran up to Grandpa to demand her Blue Eyes. Everybody was shocked to see Sugoroku Moto take the card out of his pocket, completely unusable as it had been torn in two and mended with sticky tape.

Rebecca threw another tantrum, but stopped as soon as a voice coming from the entrance to the arena told her to 'behave herself'. Everybody looked up to see an elderly gentleman walk over and greet Grandpa warmly.

"We've just been replaying a bit of history here, Hopkins." Said Grandpa cryptically.

The man, who must have been Arthur Hopkins, smiled. "Yes I saw." He turned to Rebecca and said, "Do you know you lost the duel?" Seeing she was surprised, he smiled and proceeded to explain. "You were playing the exact same duel Moto and I played for a flask of water a while ago. If I am not mistaken, you drew the card you needed to win, didn't you Yugi?"

Yugi blushed and nodded, and Rebecca asked him why he surrendered.

Here Professor Hopkins said what Yugi was reluctant to. "He was trying to show you that dueling is more than winning or losing I expect, that the way to the heart of the cards is through your heart." Here he pointed at Rebecca's hear, while she looked at him, surprised. "Just like when Moto lost on purpose so that I could have the water, because I needed it more than him and because I would not have accepted it if I got it through pity. Mind you, I _did _honor my monsters before sending them to the graveyard, and I _respected _my opponents. But you started the story, Moto, you should finish it."

Grandpa smiled. "There's not much more to tell really, soon after we were rescued, and you gave me the Blue Eyes, but had I known how much it meant to you I would not have taken it."

Professor Hopkins smiled. "I know, that's why I didn't tell you. You saved my life, Moto, something I treasure, I thought it only fitting that you keep my other treasure safe too."

"He didn't do a very good job!" Commented Rebecca, holding up the card.

Professor Hopkins laughed, and waved away Grandpa's apology. "You kept it as a sign of our friendship, that's what matters," here he took it from Rebecca and gave it back to Grandpa. "I think we'll survive a couple of tears."

Sugoroku Moto tucked the card away and smiled. Professor Hopkins turned to Rebecca, "You know, dueling can be the basis of a great friendship."

Rebecca blushed and turned to Yugi, bowing and apologizing.

Yugi smiled, slightly embarrassed. "It's alright," was all he could think of as a reply. "Here," and by a flash of inspiration, Yugi gave Rebecca the first card he ever won in a tournament, Ties of Friendship.

"It's so cute!" Exclaimed Rebecca, grinning at Yugi, and putting the card away.

"Just be nicer to your monsters." Yugi added.

Rebecca smiled. "Sure."

"You know, Hopkins, it's been a long time since we dueled." Grandpa said reflectively, looking over at the Arena.

"Yes, Moto, I think it's time for a rematch! Let's show these youngsters how it's done."

"This I gotta see!" exclaimed Jounochi, "Dueling grandpas!"

Everybody laughed, as the two men walked out onto the platforms, and got ready.

Just then, a cry of "Becky!" was heard, and Yugi saw Mokuba run into the arena, enveloping Rebecca in a hug.

She pushed him away, and he studied her face, looking concerned. "God damn!" Here a cautioning 'Rebecca' could be heard from Arthur Hopkins, while the girl continued, oblivious, looking annoyed but happy at the same time. "No wonder I lost, if you and Grandpa were both watching!"

"Sorry, I got worried." said a concerned Mokuba, looking at the ground.

"Just…" started Rebecca, biting her lip, but evidently couldn't think of a solution to the predicament. "Oh forget it!" She sighed, and took Mokuba's hand as looked up, smiling.

Both looked over to the duel, which had already started.

Yugi was still looking at Mokuba, who frowned, suddenly serious. "But, it's a problem isn't it, if I want to watch you play and you don't like anyone to."

Rebecca smiled at him. "Not for much longer, I'm going back to America, and you don't get our tournaments on your TVs. The world Championship's in two years so I'm sure well have it figured out by then."

"I assume that that's the young man you were talking about before." Professor Hopkins called out from the arena, as he wasted two of Grandpa's monsters.

Mokuba blushed, and Rebecca grinned, nodding. "Yessir! Can he come to dinner?"

"Certainly," said the Professor, "If you two will shush and let us play without distractions."

This made Rebecca laugh and make shushing gestures at Mokuba, who looked a little strange, _probably on account of feeling embarrassed, concerned and happy all at once, _thought Yugi, as he had been keeping track of the emotions playing on Mokuba's face, waiting for the boy to greet them.

"What's going on?" Whispered Jounochi, leaning over to Yugi and pointing at Mokuba.

"I think Mokuba is dating Rebecca." Whispered Yugi in reply, smiling as his grandpa made a brilliant move.

"But she lives in America." objected Jounochi.

"I suppose it's a long distance thing." Honda clarified, rolling his eyes, as he had been close enough to hear their entire conversation.

Jounochi looked at Mokuba, then back to the duel. "Poor bastard," he sighed, "I'd hate to be writin' letters all the time."

Yugi and Honda shared a smile and waited for it to occur to Jounochi that technology had advanced significantly since the invention of letters, especially for a top duellist like her and the heir of Kaiba Corp., but Jounochi seemed to have left it at that, focusing now on the duel.

Yugi smiled as Honda rolled his eyes again, and looked over to Mokuba, who nodded greeting to him, looking much more composed now that everyone was focused on the duel.

* * *

Seto sat down in the living room, more comfortable now that he had his blue trench coat on. While he had been gone, the tea had been brought, and Pegasus was now pouring it as he approached.

Neither of the two had broken the silence that had descended between them after Pegasus had suggested that he would be more comfortable explaining his visit in the living room over tea and Seto rang and ordered tea to the living room.

As Seto sat down, Pegasus took a sip of his tea and sighed, putting it back down. Seto looked at his cup and then at Pegasus, who smiled happily and switched their cups, picking up and repeating the procedure with his new tea.

"Ah. There is nothing better than a hot cup of tea in this cold weather."

Seto nodded and picked up his tea, sipping it, unable to stop himself from wondering whether Gozaburo had performed a similar ritual when drinking with Pegasus. As Seto was a person who hated to leave things unfinished when they did not have to be, he answered his own question. _Probably he did._

Pegasus meanwhile had started saying something. "…only person I have ever met who seems to feel more comfortable receiving guests when he is dressed in a coat than the other way around."

Seto smirked at Pegasus. "I'm cold."

Pegasus smiled, shaking his head. "Are you always cold Kaiba boy?" Pegasus asked lightly, then looking into his tea, evidently thought better of it, adding quickly, "No, don't answer that, I've thought of something better. Do you never waste words?"

Seto drank some more tea, glad in a way that Pegasus had not wanted an answer to the loaded question, for it may well have been 'yes', and once said, Seto knew he would have to explain to Pegasus why. Among many things, it would foremost be a waste of words.

"Do you always?" Seto replied, looking at his business partner.

Pegasus had, right after Duellist Kingdom, provided Seto with a detailed report of what Industrial Illusions did, and this seemed to be nothing much apart from Duel Monsters, other graphics design jobs, takeover bids, and other normal business. There was the small aside that the company gave its employees an unheard of amount of benefits and free reign and spare time and did not ask what employees did with it. The company did monitor the building for security purposes but there was absolutely no way of legally looking at another company's security tapes.

"Point taken, and as a matter of fact, I do." Pegasus smiled. "Words are something I have plenty of and there are two ways to keep one's thoughts and doings private, one is to talk about them as little as possible and the other is to talk about everything as much as possible."

"Defensive or offensive." Seto summarised.

"The only two positions there are." Pegasus agreed, then he grinned. "You'll probably be glad to know, Kaiba boy, you are nothing like your stepfather."

Seto raised an eyebrow, and sipped some tea, deciding he needed a reply to one question before he could be glad. "So sure?"

"Yes. I knew him well enough to judge if no one else did." Pegasus smiled. "But this cold weather makes me… nostalgic."

Seto gestured at the tuxedo, and poured some more tea for himself, and Pegasus who replaced his now empty cup on the coffee table between them.

Once they both held steaming cups of tea, Pegasus replied, grinning. "Yes, it has been an age since I wore it last, before… "

"Everything." Seto stated decidedly, wishing Pegasus would come to the purpose of his visit.

Pegasus smiled. "Tsk, tsk, Kaiba boy! Neither you nor I can say that. I'm sure your part in our first joint venture started before I met you. I know mine did, and I have it on good authority that that is the opinion of the police as well."

"Police. Inspector Wong?" Seto asked, recalling the only enemy in the world Gozaburo ever complained about, being able to do little else. He was also the only person in the world that was upset by Gozaburo's death, apart from perhaps Pegasus, who had read a moving eulogy, but the jury was still out on that one.

"He's a detective now. You will remember he transferred from the Interpol division for investigating arms dealing, to our very own murder squad, to oversee the case personally. Do you know, I heard it was the ambition of his life to bring down your foster father? It was going to make his career, and when he died… Well now his ambition seems to be to find out why and exactly how your foster father met his end. I think he's just trying to blame someone for the fact that he washed out, don't you?"

Seto shrugged internally. His mind was taking an entirely different and more practical bend. "Reopening the case?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that the official position is that he has found some new evidence. I'm afraid that may be my fault; I recently demoted someone in my company in the most disturbing and highly personal at least to her, circumstances. I am sorry to say she bears me a little grudge. But I have been told it is a failing of mine to concentrate solely on myself. I do have some practical information."

Here Pegasus took a break to sip some tea. "Which is?" Seto asked after some minutes had passed.

"Oh! Information!" Pegasus replied as if he had forgotten. "Well, I have it on good authority that the case will be reopened officially on New Year's Eve. The police are of the opinion that there are three personally interested parties that they neglected to investigate fully last time. The unfeeling adopted son, the overly distraught dear friend and the shady board of directors all materially benefited from the suspicious death."

Pegasus sat back and grinned, sunnily. "It has the makings of a good thriller I think. Oh, and they're taking the conspiracy theory route this time. They think nobody could have done him in by themselves."

Seto thought a moment. "Accident?"

Pegasus shrugged. "Mmm. Go figure. The bosses seem to be ignoring that option completely this time, I think our Mr. Wong had something to do with that. And same goes for suicide, though there is evidence enough for both I'd say. Personally, I'd vote accidental suicide."

"Got a plan?" Seto studied Pegasus thoughtfully, as the latter pretended to think.

At length, he replied conspiratorially, putting his cup down and leaning across the table, Seto following his example. "As I have business overseas, I leave at Christmas and shall be gone for a while. Mr. Wong will probably waste no time in visiting you, I'd expect him on New Year's Eve, he doesn't seem to like you very much."

"I wonder why." Said Seto, sarcastically.

"I'm sure I don't know," replied Pegasus. "Though it may have something to do with that restraining order you got on him during his last investigation, and requesting a lawyer after their first question probably didn't help, refusing to answer any questions was also probably a bad move, though I agree about denying them access to Mokuba…"

"The plan." Seto interrupted before Pegasus could list any more of the reasons Mr. Wong had for disliking him, the list being very long, ranging from minor offences like making the then Inspector Wong spill hot coffee on himself at their first meeting, through never having called the man by his title, always preferring 'Mr. Wong', to being the apparently beloved son of Gozaburo Kaiba.

Pegasus smiled and sat back. "Why, my dear Kaiba boy, I thought that if you had no plans today, we might go for coffee like we used to do in the good old days, with Wong watching in the bushes. It'll be my treat."

"I have none." Seto agreed, though knew from listening to Gozaburo and Pegasus chat over coffee that the tradition had originated back when it was just the two of them. He himself had been invited when on his first holiday trip abroad with his foster father, trips that Pegasus apparently always tagged along on, often having business of his own in the same country. On days when Gozaburo found that he was being followed too closely to do any real work and decided to take a day off, in whatever country they happened to be, they would spend all day either sitting at or going through different cafes.

Seto felt that he needed a distraction today, and there was no point in working. The Big five would be kept busy by the cronies of the good detective, no doubt. And if there was one thing Pegasus was good at, it was distraction.

"Good, it has been simply ages since I had a mocha latté and the cappuccino machine at work is on the fritz again." Pegasus said, happily standing.

Seto stood as well, frowning "That's not coffee."

Pegasus laughed heartily. "Kaiba boy, you can drink as much long black slush as you choose. I fear the macho men of this world miss out on so many delightful things." He added to himself, starting to hum the tune from 'Macho Man', as he walked off to the front door.

Seto followed the glittering Pegasus out of the Kaiba Mansion and into the waiting car that would take them to the heart of the city.

Chatting with Pegasus was equivalent to playing chess with the man, a game he never played as a rule, and every time he was forced to, maintained that he had forgotten how to move the pieces, and proceeded to lose as quickly and decidedly as he could, and even though Seto had tried often to lose, Pegasus had yet to win a game.

Pegasus always gave away so much in conversation, that it was hard to find out what was important, harder still to know which of his opinions and delusions would remain the next day. Seto decided that it was about time the two of them talked about Industrial Illusions, though probably neither would gain anything concrete through so doing.

Seto smirked inwardly as a way of getting back at Otogi for ruining his plans today, presented itself. _Otogi is going to die of jealousy once he finds out what I did today. _

The funny thing was that Otogi would ask, it was one of the many annoying things that made Otogi, Otogi and Seto grumpy as all hell.

* * *

Ryou lay down on his couch, looking at the phone, tempted to call Malik, whose number he had found out was on speed dial 1, when he had accidentally pressed the wrong button while ordering takeout. Ryou wanted to ask him if Bakura knew Namu at all, because apart from clearing a few things up, it would make a lot of sense since Ryou knew Namu, Malik knew Bakura and Malik knew Ryou.

But the call was naturally out of the question. Ryou knew that Namu would have gotten home late last night and besides, it was rude to call someone, to bother them just because there was a thought in his head that bugged him…

…Bakura elegantly plucked the handset from its home and pressed speed dial one. A thought had been bugging him for fully a day now, and it was something he could not resolve on his own. The thought was that Marik was being blatantly stupid, and he knew it.

It took a while, but finally Bakura heard a dejected "Yes?"

"You're stupid." He said, with a great deal of certainty.

"I beg your pardon?" Came an offended reply.

Bakura examined his choice of words. _Merde._

"You're being stupid." He corrected, his previous statement being a very grave insult for both of them.

"That's better. How do you figure?"

"You know what I did was right." Bakura insisted. He had followed the unwritten rules they had both set down for business, and the philosophical stance on what constituted a person that evolved from Marik's experiments.

"Yeah...? Doesn't mean I wasn't." Argued Marik.

_He does have a point._ Bakura reluctantly had to admit that he could easily see Marik's side of things. He was cheated on and his plans were upset because Bakura stole. The entire thing was probably exacerbated by the fact that Marik was an extremely selfish bastard.

"You're an extremely selfish bastard."

"Hn. So are you." Came the low and happy reply.

"What do you suggest we do?" Asked Bakura, knowing full well it would be the same solution as always, this being not the first time this sort of thing had happened, _well, if you count previous lives._

"You're the smart one." Marik came back with a cagey reply.

Bakura grinned. Both parties were in agreement, all they had to do was sign on the dotted line. Marik obviously wanted to keep him on the phone, which meant that he couldn't be still mad.

"Ah, but aren't you always saying you're an evil genius?"

"Mmm, and I stand by it, but you must have noticed the special clause."

"Evil." Bakura played along, thinking he would be much happier when every house had a video phone.

"Exactly, so you see why I am completely useless when it comes to these things."

Bakura sighed theatrically. "Alright, I do have one idea – let's forget it ever happened."

"Well, if that's the only thing you can think of…" Marik said unhappily, "I guess, that's what we'll have to do." pausing before he continued, "There is something I want to ask you, but it'll have to wait, my sister's here, and she wants to talk to me."

"About Christmas and New Year?" Bakura asked, frowning.

"Yes." Marik said happily.

"I can wait, put me on hold?" Bakura asked, preparing himself for a feast of classical music.

"I can do one better." Said Marik cryptically.

"Wait," Bakura called out, "I wanted to ask you before I forget, why do people make hold music the selection _they_ like to listen to? I mean it's not like they often call their house only to be put on hold."

He could hear Malik chuckle. "Hmm, good point. I suppose it's the only music they have about the place. How about I pick yours and you pick mine."

"It's a date." Said Bakura before he could consider his words carefully. _Merde._

"Definitely." came the reply he had least expected. "Speak to you in a bit."

Bakura was slightly stunned as he heard a click and the phone being hung up. But the music did not come on as he had expected, instead he heard Ishizu. Bakura turned the handset so he could still hear, but so his breathing couldn't be heard. That was the best he could do at such short notice. He was on speakerphone!

* * *

Malik Ishtar, the doting brother, played by Yami no Malik, turned to his sister, seated on the couch. Rashid and Shadi had gone off to the kitchen, probably so they could stay out of the way. This meant that they expected a fight, and with the instinct of migrating birds, flew to warmer places for the winter.

Marik decided that they wouldn't have the satisfaction, and took a seat on the couch beside Ishizu so she would not be constantly looking at the phone.

"Who was that?" She asked.

"My lawyer," said Marik, smiling because it really was true.

Ishizu's eyes widened, but she was not someone who got easily distracted. "I hear you have made plans for Christmas."

Marik nodded. "Yugi's invited all his friends and family, it's going to be brilliant."

"And have you forgotten your family?" Asked Ishizu, sounding offended.

_She must have spent a long time thinking about this to get this worked up._

"We are your family, little brother, Rashid and I, and you are the head of that family now. Is it your wish that we fall apart and never see each other again? That we…"

Marik knew, from Malik's experience that he had to stop her now, or she would go on a roll, and then a rock would become an avalanche. Luckily, he quickly thought of a very easy solution.

"Of course not, sister." He said happily interrupting, putting up a hand to show he wanted to say something else. "That is why I was going to ask Yugi if you, and Rashid and Shadi could come too."

"Oh." She looked surprised, and Shadi, who must have heard the entire thing, came out of the kitchen smiling.

"They say Mr. Moto makes an extraordinary Christmas feast, very traditional, I'm sure you'll love it."

Here, Rashid also came out of the kitchen, stone faced as always.

Ishizu nodded slowly. "But… what about New Year?" she asked, latching onto the only obstacle to her happiness she could see.

But Marik knew Ishizu's weak spot. "That's a holiday you should spend with friends, and I've already made plans. I thought you would enjoy spending some time seeing the sights with Shadi. We should get snow this New Year, and the place will really be beautiful." Haring this, Shadi smiled at Marik and Ishizu couldn't think of anything to say.

She looked at Shadi, with beautiful enquiring eyes. "I had wanted to play tourist for a day or so." Shadi agreed, smiling. "It would be nice to go with a friend."

Marik grinned and before Ishizu could decide how to answer or raise another problem she had with the way Malik arranged his life, jumped up. "Well, that's all settled then, and if you don't mind I have my lawyer on hold, they charge hourly rates you know…"

Shadi smiled and helped Ishizu up, while Rashid and Malik got their coats. "Rashid, will you walk them down to their car? I'm not exactly dressed for the weather." said Marik, acting on impulse with the idea of getting some time to speak openly on the phone.

Rashid nodded, and Marik went back to the phone, all smiles. _I'm on a roll. Its days like these I think I would make a brilliant pharaoh._

As the door closed behind Shadi, Ishizu and Rashid, Marik turned to the phone and took it off speaker. "I wanted to ask about the Senn Puzzle." He said, not betraying the nervousness he felt – his hands were shaking.

"Listen, believe it or not, I don't have it." Marik could imagine Bakura smirk as there was a touch of laughter in the voice.

Marik had not expected anything else. He could almost hear the unspoken addition of 'with me right now'.

"If you did…" Marik persisted.

"Then I wouldn't give it to you." Bakura finished, sounding a touch sad at having to repeat what they both already knew.

"Naturally, I'd stash it somewhere you couldn't get it and not tell you I have it." He added as an afterthought.

Marik found the matter-of-fact tone of that addition annoying. He hadn't expected anything else, but it was a strain on their relationship every time the two were at odds with each other when it came to their pursuits. It was an issue both sidestepped and ignored most of the time. Work had always been a sensitive issue and if pressed, both would and did end the relationship if it got in their way.

Bringing it up now, meant the strain was extreme, because they'd just managed to patch things up. Of course, Marik knew this and felt bad about doing it to himself and to Bakura. If he could be sure Bakura would honour it, he would have then and there called for a ban on letting work get in their way.

Always coming second was very hard for Marik, and he knew it wasn't a day on the Nile for Bakura either. The most recent indication, being the indignation he expressed when he said that Marik had not told him he had the Senn Puzzle. It was bad that they couldn't fully trust each other, and in rare moments, both talked about how great it would be if they worked together.

None of this got in the way of Marik's goals, of course; he couldn't let it. His interests came first, and he could not solve the problem that occurred, in a mutually trusting relationship if the ambition of one encroached on that of the other.

Marik tired again. "So I take it you value this Senn obsession more than me?" he asked, painfully.

His heart skipped a beat at the pause on the other end, but this hope was short lived.

"No, but you're practically immortal, so I don't have to worry about you. You want to know if I value it more than your quest for the power of the pharaoh, and I must say yes, I do." came the calm, considered reply. "Nice try Marik, and I can't blame you for it, but if the Puzzle happens to fall into my hands first, I am keeping it for myself."

"May scarabs infest your bed and mistake you for a corpse, thief." Marik replied venomously, but very quietly as Rashid had just returned.

Marik had had enough of Bakura's calm, but he was more upset at himself for having done this. He smiled, all anger gone, as he realised that he was more upset that he had failed then at what he'd actually tried to do – use Bakura.

_I am indeed a very selfish creature. And I LOVE it!_

Bakura did not have Marik's partiality to rubbing salt in the wounds, unless angry, and he did not seem to be that, when he said, "You have your God Cards, Marik. The Puzzle is mine."

Marik then heard a sigh, and could imagine Bakura pinching the top of his nose, like he did when Marik had been particularly trying and he was being patient. "Enough Marik?"

"Yes." Marik sighed sadly, giving way on the issue since Bakura had been patient.

"Now, it really _is_ good to be back." Bakura said with feeling.

Marik's mood changed with the speed of lightning. He laughed. That came very close to Bakura saying he's missed him. "Mmm, I was beginning to get bored." He said lightly.

"Mind if I sub in for Ryou?" Came an interesting question, spoken in a low and warm tone.

However much Marik liked the thought, it would be giving too much ground very soon into a new go at their relationship, and consequently a new round, to agree. "Now that's pushing it."

"Too soon?"

"Just a tad. And I would appreciate it if you didn't butt in this time." Marik said, grinning at the pun.

He heard Bakura bark a laugh. "Well fuck me he noticed."

"It would be hard not to notice fucking you Bakura." Marik whispered in reply, feeling uncomfortably warm, having last seen Rashid go into the bathroom.

"Rashid?"

"Yes."

"Merde. We'll have to pick this up later." Marik grinned as Bakura swore.

"But not too soon." He reminded.

"Ever your servant, my lord." Came Bakura's reply before he hung up.

Marik replaced the handset quietly, taking a deep breath and letting it out. He then looked at the clock, which said it was almost four.

_Time to get dressed I think…_


	14. Merry Christmas

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch14: Merry Christmas.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Hey, guys, don't blame me, my spacebar is stuffed so it's taking twice as long to write anything! L And the power surges don't help. I looooove Melbourne.

**

* * *

The Dream of Ryou Bakura**

Ryou was standing in the shadows, on a wooden beam, surveying the warehouse below him. The guards were calmly walking to and fro, cloaks so dark blue they looked black, swishing behind them.

Thoughts that weren't Ryou's played in his head.

_Cloaks and leather make you look cool guys, don't ever change those uniforms. They make it so easy to tell exactly where you are…_

Ryou felt himself smirk at the thought.

There was a skylight open not far from him, and he could feel slightly damp sea air wafting in through it. This was a big warehouse, and the tide must have been high, because the salty air had not even a hint of seaweed…

Now Ryou was standing in the shadows thrown onto him by the curtains of a half opened window. Ryou knew it was a flat and that he had to leave, but at the same time, looking at a sleeping man, it felt like he had all the time in the world.

_So peaceful. And reasonably fit for someone in his line of work. Hm. He must work out._

The thoughts were again not his own, and Ryou shivered. He felt his anxiety rise and unbuttoned a pocket, slipping his hand in for what felt like the hundredth time.

_It never hurts to double check. _

The rising anxiety was quelled by the feel of the cool metal surface, with its familiar grooves.

Ryou felt himself sigh so quietly, even he, didn't hear it. He buttoned up all the pockets that needed it, and surveyed the room one more time.

As Ryou moved slightly, he felt that he was holding a folder full of papers in his other hand. Looking at it, he saw it was done up with shoelaces, and someone else's thoughts popped into his head.

_Custom made for moi. Ah, the trouble one goes to… But zips and Velcro make too much noise, so buttons and shoelaces it is._

Ryou felt a fresh cool breeze from the window, and now that he concentrated, could make out the sound of cars echoing between buildings. Fresh air was hard to come by in the city, which meant he was pretty high up. Somewhere he heard police sirens…

Ryou was in his apartment, sitting up in bed. He pulled on his nearby pyjamas and thought about what could have awoken him. The alarm clock said it was two am.

He looked over at the other side of his messy bed, and put his hand on the sheets. They were still warm.

_Namu must have just left. I didn't know he left this early._

Ryou suddenly felt very alone, and cold. He rubbed his arms to get his circulation going and retraced his mental steps.

_But why did I wake up? I usually sleep through till the morning._

A knock on the door answered his question.

Ryou got up and walked over, opening the door without a second thought. Looking up, he wanted to slam it shut again but it was too late now. Keith was already in the doorway.

"All alone?" Came the angry but happy voice Ryou had grown to dread.

Ryou nodded, still in shock.

"How sad!" Came the mocking exclamation, as the man barged into the apartment. "Seen a pure gold trinket on a chain about so big, by any chance?"

Ryou shook his head, shivering when Keith smirked, and brushed past him.

"No bother. I'll just take a looksee and be outta your hair."

Ryou frowned, moving forward as the man started to open drawers and rifle through them. "No."

"What was that?" The man rounded on Ryou. "See, I'd rather I never had to go near your stinking yeller bellied carcass again, so I didn't quite hear you. But if that was an attempt to stop me, I'd haveta teach yeh a lesson, somethin' permanent this time." Keith was now towering over Ryou, smelling of alcohol.

Ryou swallowed and opened his mouth again. "I said…"

But he was interrupted as Keith stepped back, punched him in the face and when Ryou was on the ground, kicked him in the groin for good measure.

The last thing Ryou heard before rolling into the foetal position and succumbing to the pain, was Keith mumbling to himself as he rifled through more stuff. "Now I'm gonna have to take five showers just to get the stink off…"

Ryou was in his apartment, sitting up in bed, with a strong sense of déjà vu. He pulled on his nearby pyjamas. The alarm clock said it was two am.

He looked over at the other side of his messy bed, and put his hand on the sheets. They were still warm.

_Namu must have just left, again._

Ryou suddenly felt very alone, and cold. He rubbed his arms to get his circulation going and waited for the knock on the door he knew would come.

He was not disappointed.

Ryou got up and walked over, opening the door a crack, but then fully, surprised and relieved to see Rashid.

"Alone?" Came a strangely familiar question.

Ryou nodded, feeling suddenly wary as Rashid walked into the apartment instead of telling him something had happened to Malik.

Rashid looked around, then turned to Ryou. "I am hunting the Black Hole card"

Ryou shook his head, shivering and stepped back from Rashid's piercing eyes as the stone faced man advanced.

Ryou swallowed and opened his mouth but he still replied with a throat parched from fear. "You can't have it…"

Rashid stopped and blinked, as if surprised. "It was not a request."

Ryou meanwhile, had backed away to the wall, and Rashid started advancing once more.

Ryou closed his eyes and chanted in his head._ This is a dream, it has to be. This is a dream, it has to be. This is a dream, it has to be…_

Ryou sat up in bed, cold, clammy and shaking. He didn't want it to, but his body looked over to the side of the bed. There he found, a pair of sleepy eyes looking up at him.

"When didst thou get in?" He heard himself ask.

The eyes smiled, the blonde man they belonged to, yawned then shrugged, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "What doth it matter? T'was dark."

"Thou shouldst have roused me." Ryou heard himself grumble.

"We could have exchanged greetings come morn. Thy face bore such a restful cast, t'would have been folly to wake thee." The man replied sleepily, turning over onto his back, and thus moving closer to Ryou.

"T'was a good dream, afore it turned into a nightmare." Ryou heard himself agree.

"Good God!" The man exclaimed, suddenly concerned, pulling Ryou down to rest on his chest. "A nightmare? And here I thought the light was deceiving me. Thou art so pale, and cold."

Ryou felt himself nod against the man's chest and warm up as arms came round him. There was a knock at the door, and he made a sleepy move to get up, but the man pulled him down.

Ryou felt the man whisper into his hair, his explanation barely audible. "T'is an ungodly hour. If it be important, they shall have to wait on our pleasure, and if it is not, let them leave and hound somebody else. We shall spend our time much better, if thou canst relate to me thy nightmare."

Ryou felt himself shake his head and the man's chest moved as if tickled by Ryou's hair. It did so again when touched by his breath as he replied. "T'was nothing out of the common way. We wouldst do better to sleep for there are visits to be made on the morrow."

"But, thy nightmare." The man persisted, yawning as he spoke.

Ryou felt himself smile, and knew the man could feel it too. "My nightmares art afraid of thee."

And there was no more to be said, the man must have fallen back asleep, for soon his chest rose and fell in a steady slow rhythm. Ryou's own eyes closed as he was lulled to sleep by the steady motion, and familiar warmth.

**The Dream of Ryou Bakura**

* * *

Yugi Moto smiled as his grandfather bustled around the store, making sure the decorations were perfect for the hundredth time that day.

"They are going to love it, Grandpa." Yugi said fondly.

"I hope so Yugi." Came his Grandpa's reply from across the store.

Yugi looked over at the clock – it was almost six, and already dark and cold outside. The first snow had fallen the day before and melted, leaving behind a brown slush. Yugi was glad that he didn't have to go outside today.

He had done enough school work before Duellist Kingdom, not to need to catch up afterwards, and resuming his old study habits had turned out not to be too hard. The end of year exams were coming up at the end of next term, as the school year finished at the end of March. Yugi thought that it really would be possible to combine duel monsters and study, provided he did not go to too many tournaments.

It was a well known fact that amateur and professional duellists alike found choosing the tournaments to participate in a major problem. Now that the game was so popular, there were different competitions all over the world, and it was impossible, even if you were a professional and had the money to travel everywhere relatively quickly, to attend every tournament; there were so many tournaments that some were on at the same time as others. It was said that Mai Valentine had once managed to attend three big tournaments that ran parallel to each other, and when he asked her about it, Mai had said that she had gotten very lucky with the timing and wasn't in any hurry to repeat the experience.

It was an unspoken rule in Duel Monsters, which said that official tournaments were open to any duellist that wished to enter. There were few invitation-only ones, and even those had to have very broad restrictions. For instance, Duellist Kingdom supposedly invited only professional duellists. Yugi supposed he had qualified by beating Seto Kaiba.

Funnily enough, this meant that the Regionals were open to all duellists above a certain rank, and it was not unusual for a regional champion to be someone who lived in a different region or even another country. It was said that this coming year, there was going to be a regional tournament in every part of the globe, and consequently every nation would have its own champion the year after.

Those who won the regionals, as well as those who came second, were automatically disqualified from playing in another regional tournament and automatically invited to their region's national tournament held the next year. The national champion lost his old title if he had been regional champion, and the runner up for that region became the new regional champion. Similar rules applied to the national and world tournaments.

Current title holders could not enter tournaments below their rank – for example the current world champion, Seto Kaiba could not go into any nationals or regionals – they had to defend their title and if successful, have another shot at the title above them. Naturally, all of them could enter any other tournaments they pleased.

These were the restrictions of the Duel Monsters Association (DMA), whose board had two representatives from Kaiba Corp., and two from Industrial Illusions as well as an ambassador from every country in the world that had a national championship, which for the first time this coming year would be _every _country in the world.

Basically to be able to play for a region or a country all a duellist needed was a high enough rank to be invited, the ability to get there for the tournament, the will to represent that region or country, and the ability to speak the language well enough to be interviewed. In the world championship, they had translators.

Domino was part of the DMA region, because it was the birthplace of the game, and so the home of the DMA. The current regional champion was Weevil Underwood, the runner up, Rex Raptor. Those were the guys to beat if Yugi intended on becoming champion himself. This regional tournament was going to be big, because this was the DMA region. The limit for any DMA tournament was 384 people, preference being given to those who actually resided in the region or country, secondary preference to those who lived nearby.

Currently, there were over a billion duellists in the world ( 1,000,000,000), two hundred thousand (200,000) that had the rank to qualify for the regionals (one in every five thousand or so) – Yugi had looked it up. Of course, not all of them could come or even spoke the language, but even divided by the number of countries and regions, it meant over a hundred people in a single regional tournament on average. That was if people only entered one, which Yugi knew they would not.

A girl called Vivian Wong, from another region was their national champion, and their own Seto Kaiba was the world champion, but Yugi delayed worrying about them till much later. After all, he did not even know if he could win the regionals. Every nation, on average had ten regions, which meant that the national tournaments would be pretty small – only twenty regional title holders on average (20) and only forty duellists in the world qualified for the nationals (40) regardless of whether or not they held a title (one in every five thousand that qualified for the regionals also qualified for the nationals).

Provided Yugi won the regionals the coming year – his rank wasn't high enough to qualify otherwise – he would get invited to the national held in the DMA arena in Domino the year after. This national tournament, would have twenty two regional title holders (22), with up to forty extra (+40), although some of those forty would hold regional titles in other countries, or in the case of Seto Kaiba, be unable to enter (+ 40). At most, Yugi only expected sixty duellists. This was considerably less than the world championship which would only invite title holders of the nationals and their runners up, except in the case of Vatican City. It had only two regions, and although its regional tournaments were full to the maximum every year, its national championship was ridiculously small – the biggest on record being eight duellists – so its national champion alone got invited to the world championship. If every country in the world did indeed take part in the next world championship, this would make it 384 duellists, the first round being elimination in groups of three, two matches per duellist, the best in each three going through to the next round.

Yugi felt his heart start beating faster with fear at the thought of the competition he faced. He shook his head. _Enough of this, really. I'll give myself a nervous breakdown at this rate, and be completely useless for the regionals, heart of the cards or no._

Then, another thought gatecrashed his head. _I hope Ryou comes. _Yugi had decided that he would ask Ryou if he could trade him the Senn Puzzle for Obelisk the Tormentor. The card was the most powerful standalone in Yugi's deck, but Yugi missed the Puzzle already and attributed his beating Pegasus to that weird duelling state he got into when wearing it in a duel.

_I really want to win the regionals and I think the Puzzle could make all the difference. _Yugi knew that Obelisk could too, but he couldn't help feeling that the card belonged to its guardian, Malik, whereas the Puzzle…

Yugi smiled, as his Grandfather, finally finished, walked past him, patting him on the back and telling him to greet the guests while he checked on the food. _I guess I really do feel like the Puzzle belongs to me._

Yugi looked at the clock – it was six thirty, a little early for most guests to arrive, but his mum had told him that Ishizu was coming early to help out and because she was bringing some food – the two of them had talked on the phone because Yugi's mum had met Malik and liked him, was sad about his childhood – being raised by his sister and adopted brother, was worried about him being so alone in a strange country, had been happy to hear about his sister being in town, and had wanted to meet her for a while.

As if on cue, the bell on the door rang as Ishizu Ishtar walked in, carrying some kind of dish in her hands, wearing a white fur coat and boots which she took off and left by the door.

Yugi came up to her and smiled. "Welcome, and Merry Christmas."

"Good evening pharaoh, a merry one to you too." Ishizu replied, smiling. "I have brought Malik and Rashid to carry the rest, and Shadi is parking the car."

Yugi nodded, leading the way through the store. "The kitchen is this way. How do you like the decorations?"

"They're lovely." Ishizu said happily.

Yugi smiled at her as he opened the door dividing the store from the living space. "Good. Would you tell Grandpa? He's spent hours putting them up."

Ishizu smiled and nodded. "Of course."

They were now in a small hall which had a coat rack, staircase and two doors. "The double doors on your right lead to the kitchen," Yugi explained, "The door on the left past the staircase leads to the living room. The bathroom is upstairs, just make yourself at home."

Ishizu smiled as the bell rang again. "Go, pharaoh, I shall be fine."

Yugi nodded, and leaving that door ajar, went to the front door, to find Malik and Rashid, the former dressed in shades of light blue, carrying one dish, the latter in dark blue, carrying two.

"Hi Yugi." Greeted Malik smiling, a contrast to Rashid's expressionless face. "Where do you want these?" Malik gestured with the dish in his hands.

Yugi smiled. "Merry Christmas, Malik, it's through the door at the back of the store, then the double doors on your right."

Malik grinned, shaking his head. "Merry my butt. I am so glad I left my motorbike at home. Did you see all the slush out there? I had to walk in that, almost slipped too carrying all this like a pack mule."

Here Rashid frowned. "You should have left the food in the car, Shadi could have carried it."

Malik looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, that never occurred to me."

As he was about to move, Rashid touched his shoulder. Malik looked up, smiling inquisitively. "What's up?"

"I am." Rashid replied seriously, then added, "I understand dirty shoes are not welcome on clean floors."

Malik laughed, and turned to Yugi. "Slipped my mind, sorry Yugi," Then, taking off his blue, dirt coated boots, added, "Door at the back, then double doors, right?"

"Good memory." smiled Yugi.

Malik grinned. "Sometimes. Come on, Rashid, or dear sister will panic and think something absolutely dreadful has happened to us," then, nodding to Yugi, he walked off into the depths of the store.

Rashid took off his black boots and followed his brother, replying in his serious tones, "I do not think she will react so strongly."

"Not if it were just us, no, but she spent hours making this stuff." Malik replied, then a door opened and closed.

Yugi was not left alone for long. Soon, the door opened again, admitting the mysterious Shadi, still in the same turban, but this time also in a beige coat and brown boots. The young man looked at Yugi, then smiled, the mystery being drawn aside like a veil. "Merry Christmas, I believe is the expression."

Yugi smiled in return, unable to resist the urge to bow. "Merry Christmas. Through the door at the back of the store, then the double doors to your right."

Shadi bowed in return, then took off his boots, moving them to the side, along with Malik's and Rashid's, and went off into the store.

Yugi looked over his shoulder after the young man, then turned back to the door as the bell rang once more and along with a burst of cold air, announced more guests.

* * *

Seto Kaiba kept his face completely blank when greeted by the sight of Yugi Moto and the familiar store, now more cluttered than ever due to the Christmas decorations.

Mokuba had been very excited about this invitation, and so sad generally after Rebecca left, that Seto could not find it in himself to miss spending Christmas with his brother. He also owed Yugi, and felt that the torture of an evening surrounded by Yugi, his friends, the puppy and Otogi would make them more than even.

Seto had introduced Mokuba to his world, and received the reply he expected when Mokuba saw the already programmed Princess Adina of Simlau, and valuable comments, some of which he had already worked into the game. Mokuba now had a key to the lair, being sworn to go there in secret, and often left notes there for Seto if he had to spend his time after school working - he was almost finished setting up his tournament. Soon Seto would be able to put all his energy into his world, which was already progressing extremely quickly and smoothly. He had more time now that Otogi had the use of a car, and Seto no longer had to sit through Math club, his idea on that score paying itself off with dividends every day.

"Merry Christmas." He said to Yugi, in a dull voice and walked inside after Mokuba and Otogi. Yugi replied with the same, but was soon distracted by Mokuba, who apparently found the store delightful.

Otogi and Seto took off their boots, then Otogi squinted at Seto, as if studying him. Seto saw this out of the corner of his eyes, while watching Yugi give Mokuba a guided tour of the store.

"What?" He asked, knowing full well that Otogi would have eventually said whatever was on his mind anyway. Seto just wanted to get this whole evening over and done with, and so wasn't in the mood to patiently ignore the git.

"You could be a little more cheerful, you know." said Otogi. "I mean it's obvious you don't want to be here, but it's Christmas! Anyway, why'd you come if you're that ticked off?"

Seto thought the answer to that was beyond obvious, even by Otogi's standards. The question simply did not deserve an answer.

After a few minutes, the guided tour over, Yugi started conveying Mokuba to the kitchen to introduce him to everybody. Seto followed, Otogi right behind him. "I asked you a question. I can repeat it if you're hard of hearing today." Came Otogi's slightly annoyed reprimand.

Seto looked at the boy as they walked into a small hall, raising an eyebrow. "Wasn't it rhetorical?"

In front of them, Yugi opened some double doors, spilling light, noise and warm appetizing smells into the dim hall. Seto looked into what had to be the kitchen, and saw the familiar face of the girl from the museum.

_That figures. She fits right into this loony bin. And there's the old man, great! If either of these two bring up the stories of how 'we've already met'…_

But Mokuba had already gone into the already pretty crowded kitchen, and Otogi had gone with him, leaving very little room to attend to the cooking in the small space. Seto did his duty by walking up to the doors, and being introduced from the hallway, at which point Yugi's mum decided to evict all extraneous personnel from the kitchen to the living room.

Yugi led the exodus, followed closely by Mokuba, then Malik, Otogi and Rashid, Seto coming through the other door in the hall last. Yugi smiled and turned on the TV, where the usual Christmas themed programs played, and would be inevitably followed by the insipid Christmas movies, the same ones every year, showcased over the entire preceding week, and Christmas day.

The couch had obviously been moved to make room for the big dinner table, extra chairs, all mismatched, had obviously been commandeered from every room in the house. As it was, six people had to fit on the couch judging from the table settings, a couch which comfortably fitted three, so whoever sat there would be very cosy. Seto was determined it would not be him.

There were sixteen plates on the table, six people to each long side, one on each end, and one on each of two remaining corners. It was a tight fit all round, but the couch was definitely the worst, and determined not to end up there, Seto sat on the corner, at the end closest to the door to the hall. He had a chair to his right and a chair on his left, the latter of which Mokuba soon took; the only seats were around the table, so those who had migrated to the lounge, naturally decided to pick seats for the feast.

Seto smirked as he saw that nobody had chosen the couch, admittedly Malik was admiring the Christmas tree, and decided to ferry people's coats to the coat rack in the hall. Otogi had sat at the other end of the table from Seto, saying that unlike _some people,_ he wanted to be sociable. The statue-like Rashid took the other seat at the end of the table, on Otogi's left.

Otogi meanwhile got Yugi's word that Shizuka would sit next to him. Yugi had agreed, saying that Jounochi would want to sit next to her, and Honda next to him, that his Grandpa could go next to Honda, then Yugi would sit in the spot between his Grandpa and Mokuba.

Malik had mentioned, literally in passing, that Ishizu could sit next to Rashid, putting her on the edge of the couch, Shadi next to her, he, Malik could sit next to Shadi, Ryou was his friend so he could sit next to him, Anzu who was always the one to say 'hello' to Ryou could be next, then Mai at the other end of the couch, then Yugi's mum next to Kaiba.

Seto approved of these arrangements, not that anybody had asked. Of all the people at the table, the only ones he did not mind sitting next to were: Rashid, who it seemed, only talked to his brother and even then only if prompted; Mokuba; Shadi, whose attention seemed to be taken by Ishizu, his staying in the kitchen a case in point; Yugi's mum, because Seto was used to dealing with parents since he had met so many at the orphanage and learned all the staple replies off by heart so he could tune out at will. The jury was still out on Ryou Bakura, who Seto had never met properly before.

Malik Ishtar, Seto found too talkative and cheerful, these traits being especially bad on Christmas. Seto disliked Christmas for the simple reason that he had been raised by Gozaburo Kaiba, who stayed at home on Christmas. Mokuba was, to Seto's immense relief, largely ignored by Seto and Seto made sure it stayed that way by spending all of Christmas with his foster father.

Seto shuddered inwardly at the memory, cold despite the warm room and his trench coat, which Malik had omitted from his collection of coats. _In my opinion, one of the best reasons for having a reputation is people knowing when to leave you be._

The afore mentioned Malik, now finished with his self appointed task, for some reason walked up to Yugi, and pulled him out of the room by his jacket sleeve.

_Definitely full of loonies. _Seto smirked, and looked over at Mokuba to receive a smile that was rare of late and made the whole experience a little more bearable.

* * *

Ryou Bakura stood in the darkness just beyond the streetlight. He was looking at the front door of the Moto Game shop, unsure of how to proceed.

_Should I go in? Or do I just call and say I couldn't come because I caught a cold or something?_

Technically, he and Malik were friends, but thinking about it made Ryou aware that Malik behaved more like an acquaintance; they never talked about anything really, said hello when they met and whenever anything serious came up, both ended up feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Ryou took a deep breath of the crisp and cold air, and let a warm cloud of vapour out. It had brought him immense enjoyment when he was little. He had pretended he was a dragon in human disguise, and could spend weeks in winter just playing at being a secret dragon spy. When going to visit his father on digs, he missed the winter cold the most.

_I may not have had many friends as a child, or many toys, but I was definitely happy back then._

A cold wind picked up while Ryou stood, lost in memories. It howled between the buildings, and brought to mind the dream Ryou had had the night before, making him aware that he was alone, outside in the dark.

At that moment Ryou wanted nothing better than to go inside where it was light and warm and full of people. A crowded train would have done just as well as Yugi's house, and probably would have been preferable for Ryou because being surrounded by strangers was less intimidating then being surrounded by vague acquaintances.

But then Ryou thought that Otogi would be inside, and this cheered him up somewhat, because you could never be bored around him. _And of course Malik will be there. _This thought, at once reminded Ryou of the dream.

Just then the door opened, light spilling out onto Ryou, and he was faced with Malik, grinning at him. Malik was slightly haloed by the light as Ryou's eyes adjusted.

"See, I told you he was here," Malik said over his shoulder to someone. He was wearing a golden shirt, and light blue faded jeans, highlighting his tan, gold hair and blue eyes.

Then he moved aside, so Ryou could come in. For no reason apparent to Ryou, seeing Malik made him feel a whole lot safer.

Malik it turned out, had been talking to Yugi, who was there to greet Ryou as the latter took off his green boots, a bit discoloured by the slush even though Ryou had taken a taxi to get to Yugi's house.

"Hi Ryou, come in!" said Yugi cheerfully.

"Merry Christmas," bowed Ryou in reply, while Malik, grinning extended his hands.

"Coat please." He said cheerfully, adding, "And you might want to move."

Ryou did as he was asked, and none too soon, because a moment later, Anzu and Mai walked in.

"Hello, Ryou. Hi Yugi, Malik! Merry Christmas guys!" beamed Anzu, cheeks flushed from the cold.

"Boots, Anzu." Mai reminded, taking off her high heel black ones. "Hi guys," Then, handing her coat to Malik, said, "Thanks dol." with a wink.

Anzu took off her matching red boots, and gave her coat to Malik, looking concerned. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Nah. It's the party atmosphere. I have to do something to help out," Malik said, grinning. "It's either this, or volunteering in the kitchen."

"Can I help at all?" asked Anzu looking at Malik and Yugi.

Malik gestured his head at Yugi and took the coats away. Yugi sweatdropped, smiling. "I'm not really sure. You can ask in the kitchen, but they kicked us out, so…"

"Right." Mai nodded. "Lead on Yugi."

"Through here." Yugi said to Mai, as he turned to lead the girls away.

Anzu looked at Mai with concern as they walked. "You don't usually volunteer to cook, Mai."

"No, I burn everything I touch." Said Mai, as they disappeared behind the shelves. "But you can be sure that is where you'll hear all the juiciest gossip on Christmas Eve."

Ryou smiled as he watched all the action unfold. He didn't follow Yugi, because he felt the invitation did not include him, and had no wish to intrude. So he was left alone in the store, but only for a moment.

Malik returned, still grinning. "Come on, I'll show you where you'll sit. They've just made the TV look like a fireplace." He added, sounding ecstatic.

Ryou smiled and followed Malik through the nicely decorated, cosy store and the small hall beyond, to arrive in the living room. Indeed, Yugi's television was showing a fireplace. The entire room looked festive, with wreaths and mistletoe, and a beautifully decorated tree, laden with presents.

_Did I have to bring a present?_ Ryou thought worriedly, but this worry soon evaporated, as Ryou quickly soaked up the bustling, happy atmosphere of the place.

Yugi brushed past Ryou in the doorway, and Malik pulled him into the room to show him the seating arrangements.

That done, Malik introduced Ryou to Mokuba and Seto Kaiba, the latter looking at him with a blank and icy stare, which was softened by his brother's warm smile.

Just then, Rashid commandeered Malik so he could help explain the game Mokuba was showing him on a small console.

Otogi, who had been sitting nearby, got up, and walked over to the now fireplace, and motioned Ryou over.

"What do you think of the Kaiba brothers?" Asked Otogi quietly, looking intently at Ryou.

Ryou smiled. "Mokuba seems very nice."

Otogi laughed at this, guessing what Ryou was trying not to say. "Yeah, Seto Kaiba can be a cold bastard."

Ryou knew it was useless protesting that that wasn't what he meant. So, instead he asked politely, "You were staying with them I believe."

"Indeed," replied Otogi, watching Mokuba and Malik's struggles with Rashid. "I still am, only now I work a lot, and don't get to hang out with Mokuba much. He's a great kid. His girlfriend was over for a visit from America, you know. She's gone back now, and naturally, he's a little down. His brother's idea of cheering him up is getting Mokuba to work on something for Kaiba Corp. That's all he does in his time off now, top secret project, or so I hear. That's Kaiba all over!"

"You mean he believes in burying himself in work when he's upset?" Ryou enquired.

"Err… I was thinking more along the lines of child labour but… yeah, that works too." Otogi grinned at Ryou.

Just then Yugi, Jounochi and Shizuka walked into the room, and got introduced to Mokuba.

"Where's Honda?" Asked Malik from across the room.

"Dunno." replied Jounochi happily. "He said somethin' 'bout comin' on 'is death-trap. With that muck on the roads, my guess is he's here somewhere, parked'n cleanin' the beast. Hey! Shouldn't you be out there with 'im?"

Malik grinned. "Didn't take my bike. Shadi drove us." He then got all their coats, and Otogi excused himself to go talk to Shizuka, wanting to help her to her seat. Jounochi got heated, but argument was skilfully avoided by Yugi asking for the job because he was the host, showing both Jounochi and Shizuka to their seats. Otogi looked up at Ryou and grinned, as the latter couldn't help smiling at the scene.

Just then Malik returned, and walked over to Ryou, smiling as well as he glanced over the seating. Shizuka had Otogi on one side and Jounochi on the other. "Poor Honda, he likes Shizuka." Malik said.

Ryou frowned worriedly, and asked the question he had to ask, "Am I taking you away from helping your brother?"

Malik smiled blankly. "Huh? Oh that!" he laughed looking over at Rashid, still struggling. "I'm sure he understands it well enough, but I think Mokuba's enjoying teaching him."

The room was already starting to feel cosy, and the noise level rose a little as Jounochi started an argument with Yugi over Duel Monsters strategies, leaving Otogi free to chat to Shizuka. But when Shadi walked in, smiling ruefully, Malik still managed to enquire from across the room, "What happened?"

"I was kicked out, can you believe it?" replied Shadi after coming over.

"No. What really happened?" smiled Malik.

"Girl talk." Shadi shuddered theatrically, still smiling.

Malik's smile became a grin, and he chuckled silently.

"What?" Asked Shadi.

Malik just shook his head, making gold jewellery sparkle and jingle, grinning.

_That's really beautiful jewellery. Does he wear it a lot? I never noticed it before._ Ryou thought, frowning at Malik.

Malik looked at Ryou and probably interpreted his expression as disapproval, because he decided to explain. "Mr. Moto's still in the kitchen. Can you imagine: Yugi's grandpa, the female model!"

Shadi laughed, and Ryou couldn't help laughing as well, though he knew he shouldn't. The image his much too active imagination provided, however, along with the excited and happy atmosphere, made it impossible not to laugh. It felt really good; Ryou hadn't laughed in a while.

* * *

Malik Ishtar couldn't stop grinning. It was the first time he had really heard Ryou laugh. It was really strange to see the extremely reserved boy smile, let alone laugh, but it was also extremely gratifying.

_I am the greatest being that ever lived. Right now, Ra has nothing on me._

Malik slowly realised, as Ryou and Shadi stopped laughing, that the grin just wouldn't go away. Especially as Malik could see the cosy couch he'd soon be sitting on, right beside Ryou. The seating arrangement was really asking for yet another embarrassing situation, but Malik knew he would be cursing himself later if he didn't go for it.

Luckily for Malik, just as Shadi started looking at him strangely and opened his mouth to ask some typically insightful question that would draw attention to Malik's strange behaviour, a procession of dishes entered the room, and Yugi's Grandpa asked everyone to sit down because the food was ready.

Everyone squished in round the table, and as expected, Malik sat cosily between Ryou and Shadi, unable to go to the bathroom if he didn't want to climb over everyone to either his left, or right. Malik contemplated climbing over Ryou, but then shook his head and decided he'd clamber over the back of the couch instead.

Ryou must have noticed the shake of the head, because he turned his green eyes to Malik, and asked, "What is it?"

The cosiness of the couch meant that the legs of people sitting next to each other were touching, and turning to talk instantly created a very intimate setting in a very public place – sort of like whispering to someone on a public train.

Malik pushed all thoughts aside and smiled. "Nothing much. Just thinking that I'm going to climb over the back of the couch to get to the bathroom."

Ryou looked thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose. Unless you'd rather climb under the table."

Malik had to pause for a moment. He was stunned. _Did Ryou just make a joke?_

Meanwhile, Ryou had turned away to take the bowl of salad from Anzu and put some on his plate. He turned back to Malik, who was still stunned. "Salad?"

"Huh?" Asked Malik, then the question played back in his head. "Ah, sure."

He took the bowl and proceeded to portion some off for himself, then passed it onto Shadi. This ritual was repeated with all the dishes on the table, and only when Malik's plate was very full did he realise that he was actually quite hungry and hadn't eaten since lunch.

_A shame, but I guess talking will have to wait. _And so, for the s few minutes after the food was passed around, everyone around the table ate in silence.

This silence was interrupted by Honda walking into the living room grinning, with apologies all round, saying he had to stop and clean his motorbike.

To this Jounochi replied, with food in his mouth, "That's what I said!"

Shizuka chided her brother and Malik noticed Honda looked a little sad when he saw the only empty seat left was between Mr. Moto and Jounochi.

"Sorry we started without you." Yugi distracted him.

Honda smiled, and sat down – his coat and shoes were already off. "Can't be helped."

Malik smiled at his friend.

And Jounochi elbowed him, no food in his mouth this time. "Hey, Honda, you know you'll have ta clean it when you get 'ome, too. Why'd ya bother doin' it here?"

Honda rolled his eyes at Malik, and turned to answer his best friend, while loading his plate from the dishes passed to him. "Because… While I'm here that slush will be melting, and maybe doing some irreparable damage."

"You should have come in a car." Malik commented.

Honda shrugged, glancing at Shizuka.

Malik grinned. "Next time, Jounochi, give him a lift." Honda smirked at this, meeting Malik's eyes.

Jounochi looked up from his food first at Malik, then at Honda. "Oh, alright. But don't you eat any of my snacks again!" Jounochi added, gesturing with his fork.

Honda looked askance at Jounochi. "What are you on about? Your backseat is a minimart. You can't possibly eat all of them before they expire."

Jounochi grinned. "Oh yeah? Bet I finish my dinner before you."

"You got a head start."

"Okay, Mr. Chicken, I'll wait two minutes. Yugi, time us."

Anzu sighed like someone who had seen it all too often. Yugi took a break from his meal, and pushed some buttons on his new watch – an early Christmas gift from Malik. "Ready, set, go."

* * *

Yugi had gone back to his meal after the two minutes. Needless to say, it was a close race, and Jounochi just barely won. As usual, he was too full to gloat and decided that Honda came really close to beating him, Honda conceding that he wouldn't touch the snacks in Jounochi's car.

After he finished eating, Yugi turned to his Grandpa and smiled, as conversation broke out around the table. "That was really good, thanks Grandpa. I think we'll have to wait before desert though."

Sugoroku Moto smiled at his polite grandson. "You should thank Ishizu as well, she made many of these dishes herself."

Yugi nodded, and looked over at Ishizu, who was not engaged in conversation at all – Rashid was still eating, and Shadi seemed to be deep in thought about something.

Ishizu smiled. "What is it, pharaoh?"

"Thankyou for the food, it was delicious." Yugi said politely.

Ishizu's smile widened and she shook her head, "Ah, but you have not had dessert yet. That is my specialty. Malik says I'm very good, and he's got such a sweet tooth… Right, brother?"

Malik, it seemed had not heard, so Shadi nudged him, making Malik bump into Ryou, Ryou into Anzu and Anzu into Mai. Malik whispered something to Ryou, then Shadi whispered something in his ear.

The effect of the exercise was that Malik looked away from his conversation with Ryou, Mai and Anzu, a bit confused. "Huh?"

There was a round of laughter from the four for some reason, and Ishizu smirked. "I asked…"

But here Malik interrupted. "No need! You are perfectly right, dear sister." He looked at Yugi grinning. "My sister is very smart, she's always right."

Here Ishizu said something under her breath, and Shadi snapped out of his trance, looking at her with mild surprise.

Yugi's grandpa tugged on his sleeve and Yugi turned around.

"Why did she call you pharaoh?"

"Oh!" Yugi smiled. "Well, you know her family has a collection of Ancient Egyptian Artefacts."

Grandpa nodded. "Yes, she told me they're being exhibited at the museum."

Yugi smiled. "Yes, she's running the exhibit. Well, one of the tablets shows a pharaoh that looks a lot like me."

Yugi's grandpa beamed proudly. "You would make a great pharaoh Yugi."

"Thanks Grandpa." Said Yugi, smiling, warm from the compliment.

"You are right about the food, I was thinking, that we'll clear this away now, and bring out some tea, and let the food settle a bit before the dessert came out." Grandpa commented to Yugi.

Yugi smiled. "Sure, I'll help."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and talk with your friends, Yugi?" Grandpa asked, concerned. "I'm sure your mother and I can handle it."

Yugi smiled at his Grandpa. "If you're sure Grandpa."

"Of course Yugi!" Grandpa exclaimed. He got out of his chair, and walked over to Yugi's mum, and the plan was put into action.

Yugi turned to Mokuba, who had just finished talking to his brother. "Mokuba, what was that game you were showing Rashid?"

Mokuba's face lit up at the mention, and he whipped out his small console, and showed it to Yugi. "It's a really fun game. See, you're a cheer squad, and there are these people that are in trouble, and need your help. And you cheer them on – you have to hit these the right way at the right time," he pointed, "and if you do it right, you pull off all your cheerleader moves, and it cheers them on and they succeed at whatever they want to do. You really have to do it to the beat of the music…"

* * *

Seto looked over at his brother, who had just pulled on the sleeve of his coat.

"Big brother, I was thinking, if we can make the people feel anything, physically, do you think there should be food stalls in the cities? I mean, is it possible to program the taste of food?"

Seto considered it. Theoretically, it was possible, though the body would receive absolutely no nutrition from the food, so there would have to be something written in the game manual cautioning people to remember to eat and drink in real life. The cautions were nothing new, the most addictive games nowadays reminded players to take a break to eat, drink and sleep.

Seto looked at Mokuba and nodded. "We'll have food stalls."

Mokuba smiled. "Then people could try all kinds of strange food! And not only that, it can probably be extended to include the taste of everything in the game, like the wind is salty by the sea, and sand can get in your mouth in a sandstorm."

_That's my brother. _Seto thought with pride. _Nobody can ever say that Mokuba is stupid. A little over emotional at times, perhaps, but never stupid._

Seto smiled inwardly because Mokuba only mentioned the tip of the iceberg that Seto had been working on for some time now. Since he first got the idea for the game, he had started gathering the necessary data. By the time he had to program the world, Seto compiled a lot of the sensory data for the game, although this level of interaction was unprecedented, and only the most difficult data remained – the taste of poisonous berries for example.

He nodded again. "I'm already working on it."

Mokuba smiled. "You think of everything big brother."

"Hn." Seto agreed, ending the conversation.

Yugi then engaged Mokuba in conversation, and people started moving about as the table was cleared.

Checking that Otogi was busy monopolising Shizuka's attention, Seto felt by his chair and pulled out his ever present briefcase. Yes, the laptop was still there, fully charged. Seto pulled it out onto the table and replaced his briefcase under his chair.

_Ah, back to work._

* * *

Ryou sighed as he finished his meal and wiped his mouth. Anzu was just finishing beside him, as was Malik.

_Are we really going to sit here and talk? About what? It's not that I don't want to talk to Malik, it's just that there isn't anything I can think of to say. _

Ryou leaned back so Malik could talk to Anzu, but for some reason Anzu seemed a little quiet today. She had said hello to Ryou when she sat down, but nothing more, and though Ryou didn't know her very well, he still found it unusual that she did not enquire after his health.

"Quiet bunch, aren't they?" Ryou heard Mai say.

He looked up in time to catch her smile, and turned to Malik, assuming the remark was meant for him.

Malik smiled at Mai as he wiped his mouth, then looked thoughtfully first at Ryou then at Anzu.

"Decidedly. Something on your mind Anzu?" Malik said lightly.

Anzu looked up first at Malik, then at Mai and blushed. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Here both Malik and Mai laughed, and Malik turned to Ryou, who could feel his cheeks heating up. "What about you?"

Ryou smiled politely. "Nothing in particular. What would you like to talk about?"

"Hmm." Malik rubbed his chin in mock thoughtfulness.

There was a pause, then Mai supplied a reply. "Good question?"

Malik grinned. "Took the words right out of my mouth."

Just as Anzu suggested a topic, "The future," Ishizu asked something of Malik, and Shadi nudged him. Due to the cosy arrangement on the couch, nudging Malik, had a domino effect, making him crash into Ryou.

_His hair smells like watermelon. _Ryou thought, slightly stunned by the experience.

Meanwhile the blonde got off Ryou, and smiling at him, whispered, "Sorry."

Ryou, because he was sitting with his back to the couch, had only slightly bumped into Anzu, but he still apologised as he sat up straight.

Meanwhile, behind him he could hear Shadi whisper something to Malik. Ryou turned to see Malik, like Anzu just before, look round at Shadi, then at his sister.

"Huh?" He asked blankly.

This time, Anzu and Ryou joined in as Malik and Mai laughed at the situation.

It being rude to leave a conversation without an apology or a valid excuse, Ryou left Malik to his sister, and turned back to Anzu and Mai.

"What do you mean exactly?" Asked Mai, looking at Anzu.

Anzu smiled at Ryou and Mai, as she clarified. "You know, all that talk in the kitchen about marriage and planning ahead got me thinking. We're in our second last year of school, we have to think about what to do next year to prepare. If we want to get into university, there are the entrance exams to study for, if not, we'd have to start working fulltime…"

Ryou nodded as Anzu seemed to run out of words. There were really infinite options, and too many to name.

_It is fortunate that I've already decided what I really want to do. Otherwise I imagine last term this year would be really stressful._

Mai smiled. "Nothing could be easier. I'm already out of school, travelling the world as a professional duellist."

Anzu smiled sadly, as if she knew the answer to the question she was going to ask and didn't like it. "But don't you want some meaning in your life? Something that makes you feel good, not just working at getting more and more money, more and more stuff."

"Well, there's always my part time gig, and really, I think all you need in life is to do something that never bores you. Friends help provide spiritual meaning of course." Mai smiled, winking at Anzu.

Anzu smirked at that, her cheeks already slightly pink.

Mai turned her attention in Ryou's direction. "What about you? Are you gonna turn pro?"

Ryou didn't know how to answer that, and a second later was glad he said nothing.

"No way." Malik suddenly rejoined the conversation, speaking from behind Ryou. "I am determined to work for a major corporation, so I'm going to uni to study business. I think I'd be good at running a company."

Ryou turned his head to find Malik smiling at him. "What about you?"

Ryou looked down at his hands. He felt kind of nervous because it was the first time he was saying his ambitions out loud. "Well I had thought at first to follow in my father's footsteps, but that was a very long time ago. Now I think I would really like to be a lawyer. My grades are pretty good, and I've been going to cram school on and off for the past couple of years. Next year I'll go all the time, and then maybe with a bit of luck I can get into the best university in the country."

There was a pause and Ryou played with his fingers nervously.

"Wow. You've really thought it through. Sounds good I mean." Malik commented in an enthusiastic and awed tone.

Ryou looked up, studying Malik's face for traces of sarcasm.

"I was going to ask you if your plan isn't a bit… simple." Mai challenged Malik. "I mean, even if you get into university, and Anzu says you never study, who's going to hire you as a director, or even manager? You don't know anyone in this country, and you'll be just another uni graduate with a business degree. Look at the people in those courses, they're usually managers already."

Malik smirked, shrugging, but Ryou didn't want to let it go at that. He turned to Mai. "It sounds like you know a lot about it."

Mai smirked and shrugged. "I dated a pretty bitter graduate."

Anzu frowned at Mai and turned to Malik. "Don't listen to her. I mean if that's what you really want to do, then go for it."

Mai grinned, putting her hand on Anzu's shoulder. "Yeah, and when you fail, remember you're always welcome in the professional duelling world."

"Mai that's mean." Anzu objected.

Mai shrugged. "That's life, ballerina."

"Ballerina?" Malik enquired.

"Yeah." Mai smiled proudly at Anzu, who blushed. "Anzu is going to apply for the best dance school in the country, and become one of the greatest dancers in the world."

Malik laughed. "You'll be one of the few then, that won't quit school clubs next year."

Ryou smiled. "And then you'll get more time with the teacher, for better practice."

Anzu smiled and nodded.

"Hey Anzu," Jounochi interrupted, looking bored. "What are you guys talkin' about over there?"

"Careers." Anzu answered.

"Well that's easy. I'm gonna be the greatest duellist in th' world!" Jounochi exclaimed.

It elicited a snort from Otogi, who was drinking tea.

"What do you want to be?" Asked Ryou intrigued.

Otogi paused, wiping his nose on a serviette. "Sorry, tea came out of my nose." He looked up at Ryou and smiled. "Well, as I'm going into business, I thought I might as well study it at uni."

"Then we'll be in the same course!" Exclaimed Malik.

"Eh? Yeah, I guess." Otogi replied now grinning. "As my mentor would have put it, were he here, alas he is out of the country… we could be study buddies! What do you recon, Ryou's friend?"

Malik laughed. "I recon if we are, I'm going to have to think of a nickname for you like you've done so kindly for me."

"Do your worst." Otogi returned, grinning.

"What about You Mokuba?" Asked Yugi kindly, joining in.

Mokuba smiled. "I'm gonna work at Kaiba Corp."

"Shizuka?" Asked Otogi.

"I… don't know yet." Said the girl, smiling apologetically.

"I don't know either, universities have so many interesting courses." Yugi consoled her, smiling.

"Spoilt for choice, huh, Yugi?" Asked Honda, smirking bitterly. "Some of us aren't as smart as you and Anzu, you know. I don't think I could make it into uni."

"So what're you gonna do?" Asked Jounochi, smiling.

"Gonna apprentice as a mechanic. Work on cars and motor bikes and stuff. It's good money, and something I really wanna do. Maybe one day I can get a chain of repair shops going." Honda shrugged. "Not as impressive as a doctor I think."

"But a vital service." Chimed in Malik, getting a smile from Honda.

"Lets see, who've we missed…" Said Otogi looking round the table.

"Anzu wants to be a great dancer, and I'm a professional duellist." Mai said, as he looked at them.

Otogi nodded and continued along the couch.

"Lawyer." Ryou said, as Otogi stopped at him, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded and continued, until… "Shadi, what do you do career wise?"

Shadi smiled up from his conversation with Ishizu. "Nothing really, odd jobs here and there. I travel a lot, meet people, see places… That's about it."

"Yeah, and watch over the Millennium Items while he's at it." Malik whispered to Ryou.

Ryou looked questioningly at Malik and he smiled, elaborating. "He makes sure that people don't abuse the power of the items. Don't hoard too many, don't steal them, that sort of thing." Malik shrugged. "Something about maintaining the balance of power in the world."

Ryou at Shadi. _I would say I'm surprised, but somehow, the strangeness of it suits him. Funny, I could even believe it looking at him._

Meanwhile, Ishizu finished her story with, "… because of our family history really, Ancient Egypt has really always been a fascination. We even lived in a tomb at one time."

Ryou was surprised at that, like many of the people round the table. He did not want to interrupt the conversation now, but made a point of remembering this for later so he could ask Malik.

Looking at him, it did not seem as if the memories were pleasant, Malik was slightly pale, which considering how tanned he was, meant that it must have been something major.

_It really seems almost impolite to ask, but the explanation could be simple. Maybe there was a curse or something…And as don't know if it is impolite, and he is a friend, perhaps he will answer regardless…_

Rashid's turn had come.

The intimidating, tall man looked at Malik uncertainly. Malik smiled and nodded. "What would you like to do for the rest of your life as a job?"

Rashid nodded, considering. At length, he replied. "To protect my little brother."

Almost everyone around the table smiled. "A kindred spirit, eh Kaiba?" Otogi asked the boy across the table, who looked very serious, concentrating on typing something on his laptop.

Nevertheless, it did seem like he had heard Otogi's question, for he replied, "Bother someone else."

"Come on, Kaiba," Otogi persisted, smiling innocently. "Just tell us what you're gonna do when you finish school. I won't bother you again today… promise."

Hearing that last sentence seemed to make Seto Kaiba decide. He looked up from his laptop, his piercing blue gaze on Otogi. "I'll study law." Was all he said, in a cold tone before going back to typing.

Otogi seemed to want to follow up on that regardless of his promise, but Yugi's Grandpa came in and asked if people wanted to help them bring dessert out.

Everyone got up from the table, save Ishizu and Shadi who seemed lost in conversation, and Malik, who held Ryou back by the arm.

* * *

Malik smiled as Ryou's questioning green eyes looked at him and the boy sat back down.

He was wearing a deep green embroidered shirt and black jeans, which highlighted his eyes, pale skin and hair dramatically.

Malik shrugged. "They don't need everyone."

Ryou nodded, taking that better than Malik had expected. Malik took a deep breath and let it out, as Ryou turned to watch the food being brought to the table.

"Listen, Ryou, I wanted to ask, what does your dad do?" Malik asked, fearing the question would tread on sensitive ground.

His fears were unfounded. "He's an archaeologist." Ryou smiled slightly as he answered.

_So he just keeps facts back out of habit, not only if they bother him. Good to know._

"What does he specialise in?" Malik asked, feeling on firmer ground.

"Ancient Egypt." Ryou smiled.

Then both boys spoke at once, saying "What…" Then they stopped, and laughed, Malik gesturing that Ryou should continue what he was saying.

"What I wanted to ask was – if you don't mind my asking that is, and if you don't want to answer, just say so, - well, why did you live in a tomb? And what was it like? And you didn't seem to like it, why?" The words spilled out of the boy concisely and politely but with a nervous smile.

Malik smirked. The topic wasn't really all that painful, it just brought bad memories, and for some reason, learning that he had killed his father… Made it a bit easier, to talk about.

_Better sooner than later I suppose. Get it out of the way, it was bound to come up, and all that._

Malik pushed his thoughts aside, not wanting to make Ryou wait too long, lest the boy think that he had to apologise for offending him or something.

He smiled bitterly with the memories, and made his tone as light-hearted as he could. "We kind of started out living there. It's what tomb keepers do. My brother was adopted because mum and dad kinda gave up on having a son to continue the tradition. Well, then Ishizu was born, and soon after I was.

"You'd think it was creepy living in a tomb but it was just boring. We weren't allowed to go outside, and the initiation I went through with 'daddy dearest' to mark my passage into manhood and inheritance of the tomb keeper tradition was kinda painful. Well, yeah, I had to get tattoos on my back, so it would be. Rashid got some too, on his head thought, to cheer me up.

"All the rituals I had to do were a bit weird, and some of them hurt, and when dad got mad, he really got mad. I was kinda surprised to learn they weren't allowed to hit kids here. The cultural differences are a bit strange to me.

"Anyway, I don't know what it was like when mum was alive, I think it might have been better, but she died giving birth to me, so… Well, I begged her to let me see what real families were like, and Ishizu snuck me out into town one day. I saw this picture of a man on a motorbike, looking really… free. That impressed me the most I think.

"Dad found out and lost it when we came back. He was going to give us the Millennium Items to take care of like he and mum had done. I don't really remember what happened then, but Rashid says that I was provoked, and scared for myself and Ishizu. I… killed him.

"After that we moved out into town and met Shadi, but Ishizu still didn't let me go out or do anything. I guess that's how she'd been taught to raise children. I couldn't really bring friends home either as my family wasn't really a family and Ishizu said they'd split us up and take ma away if they knew we were living without parents.

"So I ran away, taking as many of the cards I was supposed to guard as I could, and came here. I don't remember doing that either, but then you know about Namu."

Malik had not looked at Ryou throughout his quiet recital of the facts as he knew them, for fear of the boy's expressions. He finished, shrugging his shoulders slightly, trying to shrug the emotions off. It kinda worked. Smiling helped, so he did that, and concentrated on what it felt like to be free and clear now.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked over to see it was indeed Ryou's. The boy was smiling, his eyes a bit too bright for it to be a completely happy smile. Ryou squeezed his shoulder, and Malik patted the hand, which was then taken away.

"Thankyou. That was a very full answer." Ryou said quietly still smiling. "It's hard to say, but I hear it's good to talk about it."

"Yeah." Malik grinned, suddenly happier than he had ever felt, save the day he left the tomb.

The boys were looking straight into each other's eyes, and Ryou was first to look away. He turned to the table. "Shall I pur us some tea?"

Malik nodded, then realising Ryou couldn't see him, added, "Yes, please. Ishizu's desserts can be very sweet."

_And I'd like to add, 'so can you'. But I won't coz I'm going good today, and you're handling very hot water at the moment and might spill it on people._

"What were you saying before, I interrupted you?" Ryou asked politely, breaking Malik out of his thoughts, reminding him to get dessert.

"You want a bit of everything?"

"Yes please." And Malik started putting dessert onto their plates, as Ryou sat back with his tea.

"I was going to ask what kind of lawyer you wanted to be." Malik replied to the question from before.

Ryou considered this for a moment. "I'm leaning to criminal law, though I like corporate just as well. I suppose it will have to wait until I study a bit more."

Malik smiled. "Try Ishizu's. But your dad is an archaeologist…. Have you ever gone on any of the digs?"

Ryou tried the said dessert and smiled genuinely. "It's really good. But then I have a sweet tooth… Ah, yes. I've been to Egypt as a matter of fact."

"Really?" Malik asked, extremely interested. "Can you remember it still?" Ryou nodded. "So how did you like it?"

"It is really beautiful there, but a bit hot…"

There followed a series of questions about landmarks and the two discussed it at length, before drifting onto the topic of Ryou's childhood, which fascinated Malik, it being so different from his own. Ryou inserted comments about how his was the same to or different from other people's and seemed to enjoy Malik's enthusiastic comments and questions a lot.

So passed the evening, the two lost to the world, staying up past midnight along with everybody else, and promising to get each other Christmas presents on New Year's eve. Everyone not in Yugi's group left after Yugi distributed the presents at first light, walking outside into a white world, powdery snow falling from the sky, sticking to everybody's brows and eyelashes.

Malik had to made sure Jounochi gave Honda a lift home, the motorbike going on the roof of the car, making it safely to Honda's garage with everybody's help. Yugi's group finally parted at Honda's with rounds of saying 'Merry Christmas', and giving everyone a hug. Malik decided to make it a project, and that next year Ryou would be there for that final parting.


	15. Happy New Year

There's more to life than Duel Monsters. 

Ch15: Happy New Year.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or story from Yu Gi Oh so please don't sue me. Oh, and as this is my story, all rights reserved.

Alright! It has been a WHILE and I had quit writing this but I can't help wanting to see where this will go. In total there will be 22 chapters to this story, and I keep getting ideas for the next…er…_season_ so to speak.

This one is super long to make up for the break, so be warned!

"There's more to life" should end up occurring over a little less than a year, the end of the second last and start of the final school year for these guys. I don't know if the ages match up, somehow I don't think they would but... well, you can blame my brain coz this is the story it's coming up with.

Please comment if you spot any inconsistencies I have missed in editing! With something this long, there's bound to be something.

And let me know if there's anything you might not like in here, seriously. Maybe it'll be a creative disagreement and then I'm sorry, I want to keep this as much my voice as possible. On the other hand maybe it's something I can fix and make the whole project better.

* * *

F L A S H B A C K

Ungodly Hour,

Morning,

Ryou's Flat

Malik looked at the ceiling. It needed a coat of paint.

"Here." Came a hoarse whisper.

He felt something cold and metal fall onto his stomach.

Malik looked down. It was a very heavy, gaudy looking gold watch.

"Wow. Is it real?" He whispered, picking it up and putting it onto his wrist to observe the effect.

He heard a chuckle to his right.

"Happy New Year, Malik"

Malik looked right at Bakura's dark form. The whites of Bakura's eyes, hair and teeth seemed to shine.

Malik sighed, feeling completely relaxed.

"I didn't get you anything." He stated.

Bakura grinned, a lazy Cheshire grin.

"I might get a tattoo." He whispered mysteriously.

"Tomorrow's a holiday." Malik pointed out.

"I know a place." Bakura shrugged.

Malik smiled, "Cool."

Leaving it at that, he looked back at the ceiling.

Bakura turned over.

"Tomorrow should be good." He whispered, yawning.

"I've got to meet Ishizu…" Malik groaned, remembering and dreading the event.

Bakura yawned again, and Malik followed suit.

Soon the dread was gone, replaced by the freedom and ease Malik inevitably felt around Bakura.

"Tomorrow should be good." He agreed through another yawn, falling asleep as he spoke.

F L A S H B A C K

* * *

Yugi Moto had always thought it was great that his grandfather had decided to open his games shop after retiring from archaeology. For one thing, it meant that Yugi got his pick of the new cards that came in, even if he did have to pay for them. It also meant that he got special booster packs on his birthdays, Christmas and New Year.

This was why Yugi awoke feeling very excited on the last day of every Old Year.

Travelling the world on different digs, Yugi's Grandpa had perfected the festival, taking on his favourite aspects of every New Year tradition he had come across in his long career.

Needless to say, Yugi was busy for most of the day, egging himself on with the thought:

_Dinner is going to be brilliant._

But it wasn't the preparations that were going to make the event in Yugi's eyes. Jounochi had been spending a lot of time with his sister lately, ever since she had her bandages removed. So had Honda, but both had agreed to come out and spend New Year with the gang.

The plan was to eat early along with Grandpa, and mum, then for all three of them to go out. After dinner, Yugi's mum was going to visit her friends and Yugi's Grandpa was receiving his friends at home.

Yugi had called Anzu, but she said she was spending New Year with Mai, and Yugi did not want to speculate about what exactly that entailed.

Unlike Jounochi, Yugi did not believe the common myths about girls' sleepovers, but that left a lot of room in his head for a very visual and at times frightening imagination.

Evening found Yugi in the store, shelving some the last of the Old Year's deliveries.

The bell rang as Yugi placed the final box on the shelf.

"Hey Yugi!" Said a familiar voice.

"Hi Jounochi" Yugi replied, before turning around to greet his friend.

Yugi was somewhat surprised when he saw Mai and Anzu standing there, beside a beaming Jounochi.

"Hello girls. I didn't know you were coming."

Mai shrugged as she and Jounochi proceeded to take off their boots.

Anzu smiled at Yugi and walked over to give him a hug and explain. "It was Mai's decision. I think she's trying to get along better with Jounochi."

Yugi smiled back. "It's very nice of her to try to make peace."

"Bloody New Year's resolutions." Mai grumbled, struggling with one boot.

Yugi took everybody's coats with a quizzical look at Jounochi, who was sweatdropping and edging away from the grumbling Mai.

Anzu took off her boots and all three followed Yugi to the hall wardrobe.

_It's good to see Mai trying to get along with Jounochi. She does like to tease him, and Anzu ends up playing referee. Maybe Mai secretly likes Jounochi?_

Yugi had to admit that this was quite possible, although the images he got of them getting married and raising kids radiated 'dysfunctional family'.

_It _might _work…_

_But then what about Anzu? Heart of the cards, this is… complicated._ He shook his head.

"So what's are we doing tonight?" Asked Mai lightly, as Yugi opened the wardrobe and started hanging up the coats.

"Dinner, then I don't know." Yugi smiled. "I'm open to suggestions."

Anzu said something about a new movie coming out, but Yugi was distracted.

Jounochi, standing near the wardrobe, had used the opportunity to lean over and whisper "Yugi, she's been followin' me round bein' all _nice_. It's kinda creepin me out…

"You recon' she has a crush on me or somethin'?" Yugi turned to reply, but noticed that Mai and Anzu had stopped talking and were looking at them.

Mai had her arms folded; Anzu had hers on her hips. Both had completely unamused expressions.

Apparently Jounochi's whisper had carried.

Yugi closed the wardrobe.

Jounochi followed Yugi's line of sight, saw the girls' expressions, swallowed, and started backing away down the hall a stormy looking Mai in tow.

One hand waving in front of him, one behind his head, Jounochi was grinning inanely and sweating.

"Not that that's a bad thing ya know, 's just yer used to go all menopausal on me, then you're all like 'let's hang out', and you're a great catch an' all that and just… well… don't take this the wrong way, but you can be a _little_ scary sometimes…"

Yugi sweatdropped and decided to save his friend from before Jounochi dug himself into a hole big enough for his coffin.

Just then Anzu intervened, lowering her hands. "Actually, I think he has a point. You're overdoing it a little, Mai."

Mai stopped and looked back at Anzu, shrugging noncommittally.

"Some people, you know, casual observers might say you act like you think more of him than that." Anzu continued pressing her point, sounding a little annoyed now. "I'm Jounochi's friend and I don't spend as much time with him as you have in the past couple of months."

Mai smirked looking at Anzu. " Yeah Anzu, I want Jounochi, I want him with all my heart and soul." Sarcasm dripped from every word.

Anzu blushed, but didn't back down. "I didn't mean it like that."

Mai rolled her eyes, "Sure."

An uncomfortable silence ensued.

Suddenly Grandpa Moto stepped out into the hall, with the happy exclamation "Food is ready!"

The atmosphere a little discharged, Yugi looked at Jounochi. "Where's Honda?"

Jounochi hit himself on the head. "Man I didn't tell ya, did I? He fell off his bike, the git. Broke a leg."

Yugi was instantly worried. "Will…"

"Don't worry, Yugi, he'll be fine. Shizuka's lookin' after 'im." Jounochi grinned, anticipating his friend's question.

"Let's go eat." He added enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together.

With that, the boy forgot his best friend's injury and went into the kitchen. Yugi followed slowly.

_I suppose it is alright, he does like Shizuka after all. It may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. At least he won't have Otogi competing… _

_I should go and sign his cast tomorrow._

Mai and Anzu were walking in right behind Yugi, so he overheard their quiet exchange.

"If you really want to know girl, my ex is in town and I want him to see me hanging around some neanderthalic male so the guy doesn't get ideas about there being any chance for him."

"Alright, even if that is true, why Jounochi?"

"Do you know anyone more akin to a personification of the birth of man?"

In the kitchen, Yugi was greeted by the sight of Jounochi starting to wolf down food, not waiting for his friends to sit.

Yugi's mum smiled at Jounochi as the girls sat. "It's nice to see a boy with such a healthy appetite."

Mai put some salad on Anzu's plate, shooting the girl a 'what did I tell you, birth of man' look.

Yugi sat down, smiled at his Grandpa across the table, and pored himself some milk.

Suddenly, the feast did not look as appetizing as it had before, and it had nothing to do with Jounochi's eating habits.

Yugi was just feeling a little left out.

_Everyone seems to be _involved_ with someone._

Well, admittedly that wasn't exactly true; _Jounochi seems oblivious to Mai and I don't think mum or grandpa have love interests…_

Then a thought came to Yugi, making him sweatdrop. _Perhaps they do..._

He drank his milk and his mum sighed pointedly at his empty plate. Yugi smiled apologetically at his mum.

"I'm not very hungry."

_Probably many people are alone._ _Maybe even happily alone._

_But somehow at the change of years it seems… sad._

* * *

Seto Kaiba unglued his eyes at an ungodly hour on the thirty first of December. Moments ago something small and heavy had jumped onto his bed, and was now trying to hug him through two blankets.

Seto had gone to sleep at around four in the morning after perusing the memos on the teething problems ofconverting established corporate governance traditions in his newest acquisition – a distributor in China – to comply with the strict internal guidelines of Kaiba Corp. The idiots could never do anything right.

Seto liked to wake up at seven. Normally an early start would not be a problem, because Seto could function very well on three hours' sleep. However, since hearing the news Pegasus had brought, Seto kept having very vivid and disturbing nightmares every night, making him unable to get any proper rest.

As a consequence of this lack of sleep, Seto had taken to waking up at eight, just so he could be completely lucid. Even with black hair and sleep obscuring his vision, Seto could tell it was not 8am; it was in fact still dark.

_Hn. I've only been asleep a couple of minutes._ Seto knew he had a very good internal clock, but decided to check his assumption just the same.

Wiping the sleep and foreign hair from his eyes, Seto looked at the digital bedside alarm clock. It was indeed seven past four.

"Mokuba, get off." Seto grunted. It was obvious to him that he wasn't going to get any more sleep.

Mokuba sat up in the gloom and moved to the edge of the bed. Sitting up, Seto could make out his brother's grin.

"Happy New year bigbrother!" Mokuba exclaimed in an excited whisper.

Seto sat up and proceeded to collect himself. _Technically it isn't going to be new year_ _until the final stroke of midnight tonight_.

However, there was no point correcting Mokuba. Seto had a feeling his brother already learned such facts at school.

Mokuba liked the day of New Year 's Eve because the atmosphere of preparation for a festival increased anticipation and subsequent enjoyment of the actual event.

_So Mokuba's priorities are skewed. At least he's caught on, and used the fact that the entire basis of this arbitrary festival is all just hype._

Much of the world marked the passing of the years with this inane festival. Seto preferred to count his years from the estimated day of his conception. However disturbing the thought, biologically, it was the correct thing to do.

"Up so early?" Seto asked, getting up to choose something to wear.

An excited Mokuba nodded several times. "Yeah I couldn't sleep. IdecidedtostayupandplayUFOallnight… but… I'vejustfinished. And they're only going to start preparations at six."

Having changed into the usual black, Seto decided to break the news of their possible houseguest to his brother.

"Mr Wong is coming."

Mokuba's excited and no doubt caffeine-enhanced happiness changed gear to become similarly excited surprise. "Why? Ishestillbotheringyoubigbrother? But the investigation closed."

"They're reopening." Seto expanded.

Anger stabbed Seto as Mokuba's shoulders slumped and the boy studied the blanket. "Oh…"

That was enough.

Seto walked over to his bed and took hold of the blankets. "Get off."

Mokuba obediently got off, still not looking at Seto, lost in what looked like gloomy thoughts, although it could equally be the after-effects of a Coca-cola binge.

Seto made his bed with military precision, then walked over to his brother. "Why am I up?"

Mokuba looked at Seto, a little confused as he came back from wherever his mind had been. He smiled, making Seto respond with a smile of his own, inwardly.

"I burned some new American movies, Rebecca sent me the files. Iwantedtoshowyou Seto!"

Seto had a sneaking suspicion. "They're rated…"

Mokuba blushed and looked down. "M15+. But Ihaven'twatchedthemSeto, I was thinking you could… er be the adult supervision."

It warmed Seto, briefly, that his brother had remained somewhat innocent despite their upbringing. There was one thing that could ruin this though. "What about Otogi?"

Mokuba shrugged, looking up at Seto innocently. "He has a 'keep out' sign on his door when he sleeps."

Seto had a flashback of Mokuba bursting into his room/office/secret lab over the years.

_I don't suppose it's innocent to completely ignore privacy._ Seto thought sarcastically, meanwhile certain he would not have wanted his brother any different.

Seto allowed himself a smirk. "You checked."

Mokuba grinned, one hand behind his head. "He sleeps like a log! You can shake him and nothing! And he snores…"

Seto nodded. "Let's go."

Mokuba ran ahead, and Seto followed, the brothers descending through the labyrinthine mansion to first locate and pick up the DVDs from where Mokuba had left them. They then popped into the kitchen, where they knew they would find the nightshift butler, taking him along to work the projector.

Finally, all three reached the small private theatre, where instead of rows of chairs there were three tiers of matrasses with blankets and pillows, cleaned after every use.

The boys settled down, Mokuba making a nest of blankets, and sitting in eager anticipation, all excitement returned. Seto, having perused the DVD covers and made sure there was nothing there he explicitly did not want Mokuba to see, lay down with his head on a pillow in Mokuba's lap, wrapped a blanket around himself and dozed off.

He dreamed an edited version of the Westerns Mokuba was watching with Mr. Wong as sherrif, Gozaburo as badguy and Pegasus as the endearing and witty woman who was also evil, having fallen for the badguy. Mokuba was the hero. Seto was the horse.

* * *

Ryou Bakura took a deep breath, and let it out. The icy air calmed and cooled him down a little. Too little.

He had walked to the meeting place half an hour early, having caught the train into Domino City. The square with the enormous Plasma Screen was hard to miss.

It looked like there were many people standing around waiting.

_What if he's here early?_

As if on cue, Ryou noticed a familiar face approach him through the crowd.

Even in winter Malik looked tanned, the black leather jacket, red top and black jeans completed the illusion that the boy had just stepped out of autumn.

_Isn't he cold?_

Ryou bowed.

"Hi Ryou!" Malik exclaimed, stunning Ryou with a hug that melted his insides and emptied his head.

Ryou's face heated up, and he looked down at the footworn snow.

"Hello, I thought you said seven. I am sorry I have made you wait." Ryou forced the words out of a suddenly uncooperative mouth.

"Nobody makes me do anything." Malik replied, voice ringing with certainty. "Time's right though. I… eh, came out early to see the snow."

Ryou looked up and smiled, feeling more at ease as snowflakes started to drift down once more. "Yes it is lovely when we get a white New Year."

_I love snow…he loves snow…_

Malik nodded. "My first. So Ryou, what do you feel like doing?"

Ryou blinked, instant panic setting in as thoughts raced through his mind.

_Didn't he plan anything? I can hardly tell him what I feel like doing. Not in public, though come to think of it not in private either. Why didn't he plan anything? Did he invite me offhandedly? Of course he did! Why would he do anything else? We are friends…_

He managed to scrape together a reply. "I… thought you had something concrete in mind when you asked me…"

_Out. Doesn't sound right._ Ryou thought deflated as hopes he didn't know he had, died.

Malik grinned, confirming the friendship scenario.

Ryou, more comfortable and very disappointed, looked up at the sky.

The sun set, the sky turned purple, and the streetlights came on.

_A fitting end to another year. Some more scars, property and education._

The snowfall got heavier.

_One friend._

Ryou sighed a cloud of steam.

Malik broke the silence. "Let's go, I have an idea."

Ryou looked across and Malik grinned.

Ryou rubbed his shoulder. The place where Bakura got a tattoo still hurt.

"Let's go." Malik repeated, reaching out, and taking Ryou's elbow, pulled him into the crowd.

Ryou's elbow tingled.

As they walked, Malik linked his arm through Ryou's.

Ryou warmed at the proximity, his hands clenched in his pockets.

_Where is my head today? I should say something._

Ryou felt uncomfortable in the lengthening silence with Malik so close.

_We're friends. It should be alright for him to not plan anything…We can just… hang out, I guess. It's better than nothing. What if he never asks me again?_

For some reason that thought incited worry, prompting Ryou to speak.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to imply you had to think of something before asking…"

Malik interrupted by putting his hand on Ryou's mouth as they stopped at a red light.

Ryou's mind instantly blanked although the warm hand was removed very quickly.

Ryou felt his face heat up, and his lips tingled. He didn't know how to respond to that.

As if from far away, he heard Malik's reply. "Thought never crossed my mind."

Ryou looked across at Malik, the sensation taking some time to wear off.

_How do you do that? Why is it that I seem… do I… like you?_

Green light, they started walking and Ryou started to breathe again.

"I am not very well practiced…" Ryou tried, gave up and sighed.

_Perhaps Malik will better respond to his own brand of straight forwardness._

"Shall we pick a topic?" Ryou asked, schooling his face calm.

He felt Malik's glance on him.

"Er…Do you watch much TV?" Malik asked.

"Not more than half an hour a day, I'm afraid." Ryou replied apologetically.

_That's better,_ Ryou thought relieved, _Actual conversation._

"Do you duel?"

"No." Ryou shook his head smiling. "That is more Bakura."

He could see that Malik was getting annoyed at the uncooperative answers.

Malik released Ryou to hold a door open for him.

Ryou walked in followed by Malik, and both joined a cue.

The atmosphere of a McDonalds was unmistakeable, though Ryou had never personally been to one. His parents had never taken him to international chains and there never seemed to be any point in going alone.

"What do you want?" Malik asked Ryou, looking at the pretty girl at the counter.

"I'm alright" Ryou replied, rubbing the painful shoulder again. He couldn't read the menu very well and didn't know what anything cost, or what was good or… well anything really.

They got to the counter. Malik smiled at the girl and got a smile in return.

"My friend is so indecisive. I want a HappyMeal and could I get a blue furry? _Please?_"

The girl laughed. "Well, we're only giving out green ones this week, is it that important?"

Malik grinned. Ryou tuned out, feeling like he was eavesdropping on a private conversation. He saw an empty table by the window and went over to it. There was some trash on the table, but Ryou got it cleaned up, wiping down the table and two seats with some tissues the people had left.

As soon as he sat down, Malik joined him, carrying a laden tray.

"Here." He said putting the tray between them and sitting across from Ryou. "I didn't know what you wanted so I got you a strawberry ice-cream and fries."

Ryou's mouth watered, and he suddenly realized it had been a while since he last ate. "Thankyou." He smiled at Malik, taking his food.

_Nice, I think I've been craving ice-cream for about a week._

Ryou opened the container and began on the vanilla as Malik consumed his drink.

"You don't like strawberry?" Malik asked.

Ryou looked up at the smiling face and blushed, looking down, feeling childishly stupid. "No I do… I just like to leave the best part till last, and less ice-cream means the strawberry flavoring is stronger."

Malik laughed happily, and Ryou relaxed a little, looking at the boy.

"Good idea." Malik added, putting away a napkin with what looked like a phone number on it.

Ryou swallowed an instant wave of bile; unsure whether he was jealous of Malik for having such an easy time in dating or the girl for attracting Malik's interest.

He looked out of the window watching the people walking by and silence ensued.

Malik ate his burger, Ryou finished his ice-cream.

Suddenly breaking the silence, Malik asked, "So, what do you do in your spare time?"

"Do? Well I suppose I study mostly." Ryou answered hesitantly, turning to Malik, uncomfortable in the spotlight.

Malik grinned and shook his head, golden locks gracefully greenish in the generic neon lighting. "No. In your time off." There was a sense of stress and annoyance in the tone. "What do you do for fun?"

Ryou was glad he was not the only one finding this stressful although he felt bad at annoying someone… _I care about_.

He was certain that with time it would indeed become what he felt around teachers: caring about them in that general sense; the common courtesy Ryou felt was due to all people, especially those that knew where you lived…

Ryou pushed his worries aside and reflected for a moment. "I suppose I read."

"You suppose?" Stress was replaced by amusement in Malik's voice quicker than you could blink.

Malik's mood discomforted Ryou. _Does he really want to know or is this just polite conversation?_

"Well I used to read quite a bit as relaxation, but I haven't read anything for about a year." He clarified.

_Ever since I noticed… Bakura's presence._

"Why not?" Malik asked, eyes wide with childlike curiosity.

Ryou couldn't help smiling, feeling on firmer ground, encouraged by Malik's apparently continued interest. "The book series I was reading ended badly, and I got very upset for a while…"

Ryou blushed, feeling that what he had just said must seem quite strange.

Malik just laughed,which could have meant anything. It did make Ryou feel better, the happiness radiating off the other boy's face was infectious.

"What was it about?" Malik asked.

Ryou found himself smiling, and still blushing replied, "Dragons."

_I must look like a total idiot, getting upset over… no even simply _reading_ books about dragons._

Malik nodded and looked out of the window for a time.

"This may be a stupid question…" he began again, cautiously, "but what is a 'dragons'?"

Ryou was so surprised, all embarrassment was forgotten.

"A _dragon_ is a giant flying fire breathing winged lizard."

"Really?" Asked Malik thoughtfully, still looking out the window onto the quickly darkening neon-lit street. "What does it look like?'

"It depends on the culture…" Ryou replied thoughtfully, before getting an idea of how to explain it without resorting to bad napkin drawings. "You play Duel Monsters, right? One representation found in the cards, would be the Blue Eyes White Dragon card."

"So that's a dragon! Is it a real creature?" Malik asked quietly, turning to lean over to Ryou, eyes glittering.

Ryou shook his head, further perplexed that Malik of all people wouldn't know something so… simple. "Dragons are mythical."

Malik grinned and sat up straight, a blush creeping through his tan. "Tch. Isis, see the idiot that I can be!"

He looked out of the window, continuing as though through a great force of will. "The Winged _Dragon_ of Ra is one of the God cards I guard. Oh, and there's Slyther the Sky _Dragon_ of course."

Ryou smiled compassionately, wondering how this could happen. "You didn't know they were dragons?"

Malik shook his head, still looking away from Ryou,

Still, it seemed, embarrassed or at any rate upset on some deep level.

Ryou felt uncomfortable that Malik was embarrassed.

"I just thought it was some strange card name, nobody ever explained it in tournaments."

"But I thought the cards originated in Egypt." Ryou replied, willing Malik to turn around, wishing that he could do something to make things better.

Malik grinned painfully, resting his forehead on the glass. "Industrial Illusions drew many of the cards off the stone tablets that they found in Egypt. But the company named them. No doubt Pegasus changed the translations of the ancient names to make them more commercial.

"Anubis' idiot!" Malik finished by hitting his head on the glass. It looked painful.

Ryou extended his hand to rest on Malik's arm, worried. " Don't fret." He said in a lighter tone than what he felt. "It makes a lot of sense, they would not have had knights or pterodactyls in ancient Egypt, would they?"

Malik moved back to look out of the window, and his grin suddenly turned happy, clouds clearing from his brow. "I suppose…"

Ryou suddenly noticed where his hand was, looking down, he removed it. "I'm sor…"

But Ryou's blushing apology was cut short by what seemed to be Malik's overacted surprise.

"Why look Ryou! There's Yugi!" Suddenly leaning over to look into Ryou's eyes inches away, "Wait here" he instructed, and in one quick movement left the 'restaurant'.

Ryou watched Malik cross the street, and stop to chat with Yugi and assorted friends. Absentmindedly, Ryou started eating the fries, as he watched the animated interaction. He could still see the afterimage of Malik's blue eyes.

Ryou was finished by the time that Malik pointed to him, causing everyone to look over, making Ryou blush.

He nodded hello and turned to look at the empty packet of fries.

Ryou looked up when Malik popped his head in the door.

"Want to go to the movies?" Malik asked loudly, causing a few heads to turn.

Ryou, more embarrassed and red in the face than ever before, had no reply.

Malik nodded, walked over, stowed the toy in his pocket, grabbed Ryou's arm and dragged him outside.

* * *

Malik Ishtar was smiling softly and humming a tune.

He sat in the light of the setting sun, under the big TV in Domino city.

People were going to and fro, getting ready for the night's festivities. The sky was pink, the clouds red from the sunset.

The snow was tinted pink in the light, blue in the shade.

_Is he on his way here right now?_

People were arriving at this popular meeting place slowly. Those waiting glanced at the new arrivals.

Some suddenly lit up and shouted a greeting, hugs or kisses before leaving. Most went back to waiting.

_He's probably still getting ready._

A steady stream of vapor clouded the air in front of Malik's face, issuing from his nose, interrupted only by a contented breath now and then, accompanied by pauses in the tune.

_Maybe he's not coming?_

The nonsensical melody randomly took on a worried tone, familiar to Malik. He probably appropriated from somewhere. It was not the first appropriation, all accompanied by the smug satisfaction that humming was not a breach of copyright anyone would get charged with.

At least that was what Bakura had said one day…. also a good day.

The taste of worry melted in warming satisfaction.

_Coming/Not Coming… Jump off that bridge if I come to it._

Nothing had been able to faze Malik for long this day. Malik had been here for half an hour and that was Great. He had to get up every once in a while to warm up and this was Wonderful. The strolling, rubbing of hands and jumping was the Best way to pass time Ever.

_What would he be thinking right now?_

Malik didn't like being on time. Since he almost always smiled, Malik made it a point to be either late or early to register his approval of the event to come.

_Possibly deciding what underwear to wear? Mmmmmmmm. _Malik grinned

Great event meant arriving really early to wait in happy anticipation, like now. Horrible event meant being as late as practically possible, meaning any meeting scheduled with Ishizu, like later tonight.

Malik's aimless gaze took in the people passing by and the beautiful scenery they seemed to be obliviously travelling through. His eyes suddenly focused and with a jolt of surprise he beheld a familiar figure looking around in the crowd.

_Ryou is early! Almost by half an hour! _Malik checked his new watch.

Then a thought hit, sending the initial jolt of happiness spinning away giddily.

Ra! He probably just caught the train. The gods forsaken things adhere to an inhuman schedule. It's either arriving really early or slightly late.

_He picked really early! _Happiness returned.

Malik approached Ryou.

_Now let's NOT blow this… have to watch what I say, this boy takes things very seriously._

Ryou was in a white furry coat that blended seamlessly into his hair. Sparkling green eyes were set in a pale face, made even whiter by the snowflakes that had settled on his eyebrows and eyelashes.

Recognition flashed and Ryou bowed.

"Hi Ryou!" Malik exclaimed, enveloping the soft winter ghost in a warm hug.

He stood back to assess the damage, resigned to the fallout, grinning with the joy of seeing the idiot.

Ryou blushed brightly, and looked down. "Hello, I thought you said seven. I am sorry I have made you wait."

"Nobody makes me do anything." Malik replied, voice ringing with certainty. He smiled. "Time's right though. I… eh, came out early to see the snow."

_Partly true._

Ryou looked up and smiled, as snowflakes started to drift down once more. "Yes it is lovely when we get a white New Year."

_Great. The weather. Neutral topic, snore!_

Malik nodded. "My first. So Ryou, what do you feel like doing?"

Ryou blinked, surprise flashing in his eyes.

_Hm. I suppose this is not the time to point out that your eyes get to a lovely shade of chocolate in this light._

"I… thought you had something concrete in mind when you asked me…"

_Out. I think the word you are looking for is out. Even if it was as friends, I believe being asked to go to an unspecified place outside of one' residence is the definition. And you said yes._

Malik grinned, settling for a gritted-teeth grin of the 'you're annoyingly uncooperative' variety.

Ryou looked up as the sun set, the sky turned purple, and the streetlights came on.

The snowfall got heavier.

Ryou let out a cloud of steam.

_It was a perfect set-up, almost "Who do you feel like doing?"_

_Obviously improper replies are not something I can expect. That's OK! I can work around it._

Malik shook his head. "Let's go, I have an idea."

_It's not the most romantic of places but comfortable enough, and warm. Also it's on my 'to do' list. Speaking of 'to do' lists…_

Malik grinned and Ryou met his eyes.

_Green eyes again._

Ryou rubbed his shoulder. Malik was reminded of this morning.

"Let's go." Malik repeated, and reaching out, taking Ryou's elbow, pulled him into the crowd.

As they walked, Malik linked his arm through Ryou's. The other boy had not taken his hands out of his pockets, like most other sane people who did not put on gloves.

Malik's hands hurt as they warmed up in his pockets.

Having accomplished the task of matching Ryou's step relatively quickly, Malik started enjoying the overheard snatches of merry making and music that flowed with the crowd.

He tuned in just in time to hear Ryou's attempt at conversation.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to imply you had to think of something before asking…"

Malik interrupted by putting his hand on Ryou's mouth as they stopped at a red light.

_Warm, soft, wet._

The hand was removed very quickly, Ryou blushed, but the desired silence was reached.

Malik looked studiously at the light.

Airily, he replied. "Thought never crossed my mind."

_I am currently thinking of something completely different, I assure you. Malik added warmly to himself._

He could feel Ryou look across. Green light, they started walking and Malik matched steps again.

"I am not very well practiced…" Ryou sighed, restarting. "Shall we pick a topic?"

Malik glanced at Ryou, unable to read the mask.

"Er…Do you watch much TV?" Malik asked, intending to follow up with a question about whether Ryou liked the toy Furries on the McDonalds HappyMeal ads.

These were balls of fur with faces, feet and hands. They came in different colours and had different expressions to match their personalities.

Malik had recently become an avid collector of these furballs. They reminded him of his own mood swings and Bakura's hair.

"Not more than half an hour a day, I'm afraid." Ryou replied apologetically.

_Well there goes that idea._

_Sons of the pharaohs, what DO we have in common?_

"Do you duel?"

"No." Ryou shook his head smiling. "That is more Bakura."

_Fine. I give up. Your turn._

Malik, now slightly irritated, released Ryou to hold the door of a McDonald's open for the boy.

Malik walked in second and both joined the cue.

"What do you want?" Malik asked Ryou, looking at the pretty girl at the counter.

"I'm alright" Ryou replied, a glance showed Malik that the boy was rubbing his shoulder again.

They got to the counter. Malik smiled at the girl and got a smile in return.

"My friend is so indecisive.I want a HappyMeal and could I get a blue furry? _Please?_"

The girl laughed. "Well, we're only giving out green ones this week, is it that important?"

Malik grinned, switching onto his bullshit autopilot. "Yeah, see I'd like to get all of them so I could give the lot to my little sister as a present…"

It only took a few minutes to get the order, complete with blue furry, a strawberry ice-cream for Ryou and the girl's phone number. Malik never felt bad about lying, especially since it seemed to make everyone around him feel better.

_Lying makes the world go round. Or run smoother at any rate._

Although given this fact, the crazy world was a lot more fun when you restricted yourself to the truth.

_Like in relationships. No matter how easy, I don't think lying to Ryou would be a good idea._

Malik looked around, spotted the boy, walked over, deposited the tray and sat down.

"Here. I didn't know what you wanted so I got you a strawberry ice-cream and fries."

"Thankyou." Ryou smiled genuinely at Malik, taking his food.

Feeling warm and happy, Malik downed his drink.

He noticed the way Ryou was eating the vanilla around the topping.

Feeling a little dejected, he asked, smiling. "You don't like strawberry?"

Ryou looked up and blushed, looking down. "No I do… I just like to leave the best part till last, and less ice-cream means the strawberry flavoring is stronger."

Malik laughed happily as Ryou met his gaze.

_Phew. For a second I thought I ordered wrong. Mmm, cute eating habit._

"Good idea." Malik commented.

Glancing down he noted that the drink was gone and phone number still there. Malik put away the napkin.

Returning his gaze to Ryou, Malik saw the boy was watching the passers by and silence ensued.

Malik ate his burger, Ryou finished his ice-cream.

_Right. What were we talking about before? Ah yes._

"So, what do you do in your spare time?" Asked Malik, straight out, suddenly breaking the silence and turning to face Ryou.

"Do? Well I suppose I study mostly." Ryou answered hesitantly.

Malik grinned and shook his head, annoyance returning due to the continued lack of cooperation from Ryou. "No. In your time off. What do you do for fun?"

Ryou paused for a moment. "I suppose I read."

Stress was instantly replaced by amusement.

"You suppose?"

"Well I used to read quite a bit as relaxation, but I haven't read anything for about a year."

"Why not?" Malik asked, wide-eyed, playing at and feeling childlike curiosity.

Ryou smiled, warming Malik. "The book series I was reading ended badly, and I got very upset for a while…"

Ryou blushed.

Malik just laughed. _Of course you did, you little bookworm ghost. _

"What was it about?" Malik asked, as Ryou seemed to cheer up.

Ryou smiled and replied, still blushing, "Dragons."

Malik nodded and looked out of the window thoughtfully. He swallowed.

"This may be a stupid question…" he began cautiously, "but what is a 'dragons'?"

Malik glanced at Ryou, who looked surprised.

"A _dragon_ is a giant flying fire breathing winged lizard." He explained.

"Really?" Asked Malik thoughtfully, still looking out the window onto the quickly darkening neon-lit street. "What does it look like?'

"It depends on the culture…" Ryou replied thoughtfully, "You play Duel Monsters, right? One representation found in the cards, would be the Blue Eyes White Dragon card."

Malik suddenly understood. "So that's a dragon!"

"Is it a real creature?" He asked quietly, turning to lean over to Ryou, eyes glittering with excitement at the possibility.

Ryou shook his head, looking like he thought Malik was joking. "Dragons are mythical."

_Of course they are! They'd have to be with my track record of talking to Ryou._

Malik grinned and sat up straight, a blush creeping through his tan. "Tch. Isis, see the idiot that I can be!"

He looked out of the window, continuing through a great force of will. "The Winged _Dragon_ of Ra is one of the God cards I guard. Oh, and there's Slyther the Sky _Dragon_ of course."

"You didn't know they were dragons?"

Malik shook his head, still looking away from Ryou, still annoyed at the fact that he had not made the connection sooner, not to mention at the whole 'dragons are real' supposition.

"I just thought it was some strange card name, nobody ever explained it in tournaments." He explained.

"But I thought the cards originated in Egypt."

Malik grinned painfully, resting his forehead on the glass. "Industrial Illusions drew many of the cards off the stone tablets that they found in Egypt. But the company named them. No doubt Pegasus changed the translations of the ancient names to make them more commercial.

"Anubis' idiot!" Malik finished by hitting his head on the glass. It hurt, and didn't make him feel any smarter.

Malik felt Ryou's hand on his arm and instantly felt better, if a little sneaky.

"Don't fret." Ryou soothed in a light tone. "It makes a lot of sense, they would not have had knights or pterodactyls in ancient Egypt, would they?"

Ryou's logic made sense but Malik believed that emotions had little to do with logic.

Malik moved back to look out of the window, and his grin suddenly turned happy, clouds clearing from his brow – he had seen Yugi, Jounochi, Honda, Anzu and Mai outside. "I suppose…"

Ryou removed his hand, starting an apology. "I'm sor…"

Malik had had enough, exclaiming in overacted surprise. "Why look Ryou! There's Yugi!"

Quickly, he leaned over to look into Ryou's eyes, "Wait here" Malik instructed, and in one quick movement left the 'restaurant'.

Malik crossed the street, still seeing Ryou's face in his mind's eye.

It looked like they didn't see him, so he yelled out a greeting. "Hi guys! What fates bring you here?"

Yugi turned around and smiled. "Hello Malik!"

Jounochi looked up, replying with a "Hey!"

Anzu smiled, and Mai exclaimed "Malik!" and came over with a kiss on each cheek.

"We're off to the movies." Mai informed him.

"Really? Which one?" Malik exclaimed excited.

Jounochi grinned. "See that's the problem, The girls here want some chick flick, Yugi wants some mythic action flick and I wanna see 'Alien versus Predator' two."

"Weren't you going to see it with Honda?" Malik asked. "Where is he?"

Jounochi grinned. "Motorbike accident, broke'a'leg."

Malik grinned. "It happens. But you can still see it with him"

Jounochi shrugged. "Yeah but I _could_ see it twice… "

Yugi shook his head, and looked at Malik. "It appears we're down to a vote, what would you like to see?"

"In that case I'm votin' with you Yugi." Jounochi interrupted, "No way am I sittin through a chick flick! You with us Malik?"

Malik grinned. "I'm not picky, I'd go with the action movie if it's good, sorry Mai."

Mai grinned teasingly, "Traitor."

Yugi smiled "It promises to be good, it's about the dragon legends all over the world, if they were true. They ssay the producers did a lot of research to make it close to reality."

Malik grinned. "Sounds great, hope Ryou'll like it!"

"Ryou?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.

Malik nodded still grinning and pointed at the McDonalds window "He came with me to get my Furby."

They all looked at Ryou, who nodded 'hello', then looked away.

"I'll go get him." Malik said

"Haven't you already got a green one?" Anzu asked as Malik waited for the traffic– she was also collecting the cute toys.

Malik smirked over his shoulder. "Ra was kind, as was the girl at the counter, I got a blue."

"Get her number?" Jounochi yelled as Malik crossed.

By the McDonalds, Malik gave a thumbs-up to Jounochi in lieu of a reply and popped his head in the door just as Ryou looked up.

"Want to go to the movies?" Malik asked, happy and loud, causing a few heads to turn.

Ryou, redder in the face than before, had no reply.

Malik nodded, walked over, stowed the toy in his pocket, grabbed Ryou's arm and dragged him outside.

His hand tingled and he wished it was always this easy.

Malik stopped suddenly when they got outside, to let a car pass and Ryou crashed into him.

Looking at Ryou's blushing face now just inches from his own, Malik grinned. "Hope you still like dragons."

Then he moved on, crossing the road, still holding Ryou's arm, the afterimage of Ryou's face now burned into his brain.

_Hm, it seems this strategy of ignoring these attacks of politeness from Ryou is working. Maybe I can train him…_

Marik grinned at that very entertaining thought and Yugi's friends as he approached the group.

* * *

Yugi was right, everyone enjoyed the movie.

Yugi liked the blend of myth and reality;

Anzu followed the love story;

Mai liked the visual effects and costume design;

Jounochi loved the action scenes;

Ryou seemed completely absorbed throughout the entire thing;

Malik laughed often, although admittedly sometimes it was at the gore.

It did not escape Yugi's attention that Malik payed for Ryou and the lollies they shared. Yugi noted that Ryou didn't seem to object.

Since Mai always paid for Anzu, Malik's behaviour was quite telling.

The love story on screen and real life left an annoying weight on Yugi's heart.

He smiled as his friends praised the movie afterwards, and Malik walked off to the train station with Ryou.

The rest of them got into Mai's car.

"It's a pity that there wasn't enough space for them." Anzu said sadly.

Mai shrugged, smiling "They looked perfectly happy to me, Anzu."

"What's up Yugi?" Jounochi asked.

Yugi looked at his friends. "Do you feel like seeing another movie?"

Jounochi grinned. "Brilliant Yugi! Midnight sitting of Alien/Predator!"

Anzu turned to look at Yugi. "Maybe a nice Romantic Comedy to bring in the New Year?"

Yugi smiled at Anzu. "Let's do both, I'll go with Jounochi and you can go with Mai."

Mai nodded. "Sounds good to me."

_There are worse things than seeing a movie with a friend, even if it is Alien and Predator two._

Yugi reasoned, the lump on his heart evaporating at the prospect of gore and a jubilant Jounochi.

* * *

Seto felt a hand on his shoulder and was instantly awake.

He shrugged the hand off and moved to sit. The lights were uncomfortably bright in the private cinema but Seto didn't let himself frown.

"Awake sleepyhead?" said Otogi, standing up into a relaxed attitude.

"I knocked, you just didn't hear me," he added, in answer to Seto's raised eyebrow.

_Somehow I doubt it. Where is Mokuba? It feels like evening. Did I sleep all day?_

Seto got up and walked past a sighing Otogi. "If you don't ask, I won't tell you."

Seto glanced back at the annoying git who was now trailing after him.

"I can't read your mind you know." Added Otogi petulantly.

Seto kept walking, glancing back once more to note that Otogi was wearing an outfit identical to his own, save for an emerald bandanna and a splatter of fake blood artistically dripped across his shirt front.

Black letters in the blood proclaimed that 'every day is exactly the same'.

Seto smirked inwardly. _It seems he doesn't like the work/school routine._

Having put up with the pointless duality for the majority of his life, Seto was less than sympathetic.

_His problem._

The festive house was conspicuously empty of people. Much of the staff had the day off after preparations had been made. A few stuck around for the overtime bonuses, but they kept well out of sight.

Nobody had been invited.

The lavish decorations, along with the huge dinner in the dining room were only there for Mokuba's benefit.

Personally, Seto didn't see the point. It wasn't his festival.

He found Mokuba in the dining room, half lying on his chair, hands on a visibly enlarged stomach.

Mokuba looked up as Seto came into the dining room.

"Hi bigbrother." He smiled weakly. "Did Otogi tell you? I didn't want to wake you, you work so much, and it's not like we could eat all of this, there'll be food tomorrow and you need your sleep more, you can eat anytime…"

Seto turned to the smirking Otogi, who walked past and sat down to continue an interrupted meal. "A Detective Wong came to see you. Something about how you killed your father?" He shrugged. "He's in your office."

Seto nodded and left, hearing Mokuba protest behind him. "Otogi, you have to believe me! He didn't do it! He couldn't do anything like that! Mr Gozaburo fell off that tower, it was an accident! "

Otogi's loud reply was in the same relaxed tone. "Sure, why not?"

A burst of anger from an upset Mokuba, and Seto was ready top see _Mr. _Wong.

Seto fanned the flame of anger and schooled his features into a dead calm as he walked.

What Otogi had called Seto's office, was the study that had belonged to Seto's foster father, a room nobody had touched since the man's death apart from the required cleaning and maintenance.

The room was just what one would expect – dark mahogany furniture, a thick red carpet, an immense collection of very heavy looking books with old covers, a fireplace, armchairs and a huge desk with all its trimmings. Two immense windows behind the desk were covered with heavy curtains.

There was the requisite painting over the fireplace, a very bloody, slightly abstract landscape. It displayed people of all races and ages writhing in agony. The detail was superb, and the slightly skewed perspective always managed to evoke discomfort in Seto.

Though the 'Calais Massacre' was nothing next to the dark and lifelike portrait of Gozaburo that hung between the windows behind the desk. His eyes followed you around the room.

Seto walked into the room and the hair on the back of his neck pricked up. Suddenly he felt like he was being watched and not because Mr Wong was standing behind Gozaburo's desk.

The detective was studying the lone picture that stood facing the empty chair – a small white gold frame was all Seto could see.

_Hm. Absolutely no respect for property._

Seto cleared his throat pointedly.

Detective Wong glanced up and smirked.

"You know I always thought this was a picture of you." He stated gesturing and looking at the frame.

Seto waited for Wong to continue. All pretence of courtesy between him and the detective had disappeared during their second meeting, when Seto was informed he was prime suspect.

"No matter where He went, it was always on his desk..." Wong continued as if thinking out loud.

_The mystery of the travelling picture. _Seto thought sarcastically.

Wong looked up to regard Seto. "Why do _you_ think he would have a framed picture of his… friend?"

_Pegasus? Knowing him, it was probably a birthday present._

Seto shrugged. "He liked him."

"Seems to have been mutual."

It was obvious by the way Wong was dragging this out that he expected Seto to be tired from the festivities, irritated at the interruption and thus likely to let slip something incriminating. But as always Wong assumed that Seto was a normal teenager, and Seto wasn't.

The holiday could go to hell. Seto was well rested, mildly entertained by the pathetically obvious detective and only slightly put off by the setting of the conversation.

_Daddy dearest would have enjoyed this. But he can't. He's dead._

Seto smiled internally, feeling his heart dance joyfully at the thought.

"We've reopened the investigation, new evidence." Said Wong breaking the silence.

Seto looked at the detective.

_How thick do you think I am? Why else would you be allowed near this house?_

"I gathered."

Wong smirked. "Well since you're so well informed, perhaps you can… assist in our investigation… would you like your lawyer to be present for this?"

"I can manage." Seto smirked inwardly.

_I know my rights. Besides, this ought to be good practice for when I go into law._

Wong nodded gesturing at the small picture again. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is?"

"No idea." Seto walked up to the desk and sat on the chair he used when called in by Gozaburo.

Wong was forced to either keep standing or sit in Gozaburo's place. Frowning, he sat.

Seto smiled inwardly at the successful tactic, his face completely calm.

_Now who resembles my foster father?_

Taking out his notepad and pen, Wong continued, frowning at his notes. "You… he visited you several days ago," He looked up at Seto. "You went out for coffee I believe."

"Yes." Nodded Seto.

Seeing this was all the reply he would get, Wong nodded. "You do this often?"

"No." Seto looked at the nearby books.

_Law books. Interesting. Perhaps I should come in here more often._

"What did you talk about?"

Seto glanced at the inspector.

"Duel Monsters."

"The game you launched with Pegasus after _He_ died."

"Yes."

"Why didn't _He_ launch the game?"

Seto smirked. "He died."

"But you believe he would have launched it, giving up years of … alleged arms dealing, possibly upsetting powerful people in the process."

"Yes." Seto lied.

"And yet he didn't jump at the opportunity to work with his… friend."

"He died."

"So you keep saying."

Seto grinned inwardly. _And every time it's true._

"Uh." Wong had finished noting something down and flipped through the notepad. "You first said His death was accidental but at the inquest agreed with Mr Pegasus that it was suicide."

Seto nodded.

Wong elaborated. "Why change your mind?"

"Pegasus knew him."

"I see." Mr Wong stated obviously not convinced, noting something down.

Wong looked up at Seto. "Everyone seems to have benefited from His death. You get the company. Pegasus got his game launch. The board got more control over the company… It appears your brother is the only one who had nothing either way."

Seto nodded.

Wong sighed. "Wouldn't you agree it is more likely that somebody killed Him, than a successful businessman committing suicide or accidentally falling off the roof of his own building?"

Seto smirked, citing his foster father's core belief. "He was unkillable"

Wong smirked, standing. "And yet all evidence is to the contrary. Well, I'd best be going."

Seto stood. "I'll show you out."

The walk to the door was silent, as was the trip back to the dining room.

Mokuba and Otogi were gone.

Seto sat down to eat. By his reckoning it was two in the morning.

There is a superstition that says 'how you start the year is how you'll spend it.'

Seto had started it with Mr Wong.

_Happy New Year._

* * *

Ryou grabbed onto Malik's black leather jacket not to fall over as the train lurched to a start.

They had run onto the station and jumped on the train just before the doors closed.

His mumbled "Sorry" received no reply.

Malik just hung on the handhold, looking at the almost entirely dark window. He didn't seem to notice Ryou, although the boys were reflected pretty clearly in the glass, and standing very close together.

Holding on in the semi-empty car, Ryou studiously ignored the few looks he got, examining the scratchy black writing on Malik's red t-shirt.

_"Establish world peace, kill everyone" – effective but not very sensible._

Ryou reasoned that his behavior really wasn't that strange, after all, his coat restricted his movement so he couldn't reach the handholds. It was a case of holding on, or falling over every time the train swayed.

…Or standing too far from Malik for it to be polite. Sitting down was another option, but that would also move Ryou out of earshot.

_Then I'd have to raise my voice to be heard and that would definitely be rude._

Ryou looked at Malik's faraway expression.

"Won't she mind if I come to a family meeting?"

Malik shrugged "Sure."

"But... I mean, it really isn't... really is... How can you be so nonchalant about it?"

Malik sweatdropped, frowning. "I am _not_! I can't relax until I gauge the fallout, can I? "

Angrily grinning at Ryou, he added, "I just know that if it wasn't you, she'd find something else to get mad about!"

He turned to look absently at the train window once more. The few people getting on and off at various stations gave the pair cursory glances.

Ryou looked down, quietly disagreeing. "I don't have to come..."

_I could go home right now, and end this misadventure._ But he really didn't feel like going home to an empty flat in lieu of spending time with Malik.

_And I did already agree._

What Ryou agreed to was coming with Malik for a meeting with Malik's sister Ishizu at the museum. The way Malik put it was Ryou would come for moral support, and as a friend, Ryou couldn't refuse.

"What was that?" Malik enquired lightly.

"Nothing." Ryou blushed.

"_Sure_." Malik's tone dripped with sarcasm. His mood seemed to be getting worse as the meeting approached.

"Don't mumble it's bad for your communication skills." Malik appended a factual side note.

Ryou looked at Malik's profile, surprised. "Really?"

Malik grinned nastily, still looking away. "My sister doesn't like it, and Shadi has crazy good hearing. Ra couldn't make you as embarrassed as they can…"

He looked at Ryou with a worried smile, creating what was instantly a very intimate space. "I know how you're sensitive to that. Could be, you'll never talk again…"

Malik looked at the window once more, discharging the tension that had instantly heightened with intimacy. "And that would be a shame." He added.

Ryou swallowed, now even more worried about the events pending but with a warm buzzing feeling in his stomach from Malik's last addition._ He's worried about _me!

The end door of the train car opened and Ryou looked over in time to see it admit three ticket inspectors.

Ryou watched with rising trepidation as the inspectors made their way down the train. Malik was still absently staring out of the window.

Ryou reached to pull a ticket from his pocket but it wasn't there!

_The first time I have ever forgotten a ticket!_

Heart beating faster, he watched the ticket inspectors approach.

"Could we see your tickets please?" Asked a very polite stone-faced man, turning to the boys.

Ryou swallowed as Malik lazily handed his ticket to the man, who nodded over it, then handed it back and turned to Ryou.

"Ticket please." The man repeated.

Ryou could feel Malik looking at him.

"I am so sorry." Ryou muttered, feeling like the ground had moved from beneath his feet. "I forgot to buy one."

The ticket inspector took out a notebook and pen.

"Alright sir, do you have any reason for forgetting to buy a ticket?"

Berating himself soundly in his head, feeling the whole day had suddenly gone to hell, Ryou shook his head.

_What does it matter that I was in a hurry? Hurry is no excuse._

Ryou was by now utterly dejected that he would have to call his father to explain all this, wasting pocket money he had not rightly earned on a fine, upsetting people...

Just then Malik interrupted lightly.

"Well, this is our stop."

The train slowed and Malik pulled Ryou away from the inspector. Ryou blushed, embarrassed.

The latter looked at his colleagues. "Let's get off here." He called, following the boys out onto a deserted platform, his two colleagues in tow.

"Now could I have your name please?" he asked Ryou.

Meanwhile Malik glanced at the inspectors, looked around, and pulled Ryou to stand next to a lamppost.

Politely but insistently the inspectors followed. Ryou was by now not only dejected but also embarrassed to the core for himself and Malik.

"Ryou Bakura." Ryou answered once they stopped. The inspector noted this, moving so the station light would shine on his notepad.

"Your address please." He added.

Ryou began to recite his address. Malik had let go of his arm and Ryou felt colder.

Half way through Malik interrupted.

"Hang on, not so fast!"

Ryou looked to his right and saw that the boy was juggling what must be the Senn Rod and a scrap piece of paper, hurriedly writing.

Ryou couldn't help but smile. He started again slower, when he was finished Malik repeated it back and he nodded.

The inspector cleared his throat and Ryou turned back to his personal hell. "Do you have any proof of name and address upon you?"

Ryou looked at the stone face and took out his wallet, giving the man his library card. "My name, yes but I'm sorry, not my address."

The inspector looked at the id for a moment, then his eyes glazed over and he stood stock-still.

"Um, can I have that back?" Ryou asked.

Receiving no reply, a little concern entered his mind, along with a little ray of sunshine.

Feeling he was a horrible person, Ryou enquired hopefully, "Excuse me, are you alright?"

He looked at the other two inspectors and saw the same still posture.

Glancing at Malik, Ryou's gaze was arrested by the soft glow emanating from the golden scepter. Malik was glowing too but less, his eyes were closed and an enchanting smile played on his lips.

Malik opened his eyes and looked with glowing sky blue orbs into Ryou's surprised stare.

"Don't worry." The voice had a sweet cloying feel with an undertone of laughter.

Despite himself Ryou calmed down, not jumping as the inspectors echoed in chorus.

"Don't worry"

Malik's smile widened. Ryou felt his cheeks heat up, his heart skipping a beat.

"They don't need your fine."

"We don't need your fine."

Ryou's dejection almost completely melted away to be replaced by a frightened wonder.

"You were so polite, that they are feeling charitable today."

"You are so polite, we are feeling charitable today."

The glow faded and like a magician, Malik put the scepter behind his back, withdrawing an empty hand.

"Excuse me sir,"

The inspector drew Ryou's attention away as if nothing had happened, handing back the library card.

"I don't think this will be necessary today." He smiled, tearing off several pages off his notepad along with Ryou's fine.

As another train drew up to the station, he put the pages into the nearest bin. "Just remember next time!" He called. "Happy New Year."

With that, the inspectors got on the train. Ryou waited until the doors closed and the train took off before tuning to Malik.

Malik grinned, one hand behind his head.

"Nice isn't it? That is the power of the Senn Rod."

"I learned how to use it during the Duelist Kingdom tournament." He added as a by the by, lowering his hand.

Malik was smiling lightly as he concentrated on Ryou. "Sorry I couldn't use it earlier to save you trouble, but there are cameras everywhere these days."

Ryou felt warm and uncomfortable at the concern.

"I should have taken time to buy a ticket." A little dejection returned.

Malik smiled shrugging. "More fun this way."

Ryou smiled back, dejection gone.

Snowflakes started falling once more.

"This way." Malik said, pointing off the station.

"So this _is _the right stop?" Ryou asked, slightly surprised.

Malik grinned, moving off slowly, Ryou in tow.

"No, but Rashid should be here in half an hour to pick us up, he's at work. Another useful Senn Rod application. You will never need a mobile phone."

"He won't mind?"

Malik looked surprised. "You don't know him very well, do you? He saves up his sick leave and days off just so he can do this."

Ryou looked forward as they navigated stairs. "Wow."

_I don't know if that is normal behaviour but it must be nice to have such a brother._

They walked to the car park as Malik changed the topic.

"What did you think of the movie?"

* * *

Malik smiled at Ishizu.

"Dear sister!" He exclaimed, giving the surprised girl a hug.

Ryou and he did not talk much on the ride to the museum; Malik had a feeling that Rashid intimidated Ryou.

"What did you do?" Shadi smirked from behind Ishizu.

"Nothing much, you don't mind if I brought Ryou along, do you?" Malik said, wide blue eyes looking at his sister.

Ishizu frowned. "This was supposed to be a family meeting."

"So Shadi's family? Congratulations!" Malik exclaimed, acting the fool.

Ishizu blushed and looked at Shadi. The latter smiled and nodded to Malik "You have made a valid point."

Malik grinned. "I thought so." He turned and called out into the open doorway, "It's fine, come in!"

Ryou came in, a picture of politeness, and bowed. "Good evening, Happy New Year."

Ishizu nodded, and looked up with surprise at Rashid, who closed the door. "I thought you were at work!"

Rashid nodded. "Master Malik wanted me to pick him up from the station."

Ishizu smirked. "Don't encourage my little brother."

The words seemed to have no effect on Rashid, his face remained a picture of stony indifference.

"Tea?" Shadi asked.

Rashid nodded, and they walked off into the depths of the museum.

Ryou stood politely to the side and studied the displays.

Ishizu sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Malik smiled. "Big sister, you don't have to do anything. I can look after myself."

Ishizu smiled "Rashid would not agree."

Malik shrugged. "I was fine before you came."

"If you call being possessed, fine." Ishizu objected, raising a hand to forestall any protests.

"I did not call this meeting to argue. We are a family and you are, like it or not, the head of that family. What do you intend to do?"

"Stay here, go to school, possibly university." Malik replied without having to think about it.

"What about the god cards?"

"Easy sister, keep them safe." Malik smiled.

"What about the family relics?" Asked Ishizu.

_This one is a little harder._

After some thought, Malik shrugged, "You can keep them and take them back to Egypt, or stay here and work in the museum, make them part of a permanent exhibit."

"What about Shadi's… work?" She asked uncertainly.

Malik smiled. "That is not my purview sister, I am sure he can answer for himself."

"We can't just pick up and leave our homeland!" Ishizu exclaimed.

Malik shook his head, determined to hold his own. "I am not saying it will be easy but it can be done, people have migrated before. I managed all right, I am sure you can too. But you don't have to stay, Isis! Go back if you wish, you can keep the relics safe, you always have."

Ishizu deflated. "I think I shall go home, brother, this land is not for me. Perhaps I can make an exhibit like this at home."

Malik smiled. "I'm sure Shadi'll come with you." He consoled her.

Malik did love his sister dearly, even though she could be a major pain a lot of the time, and he wanted her to be happy.

_Of course if she's happy, maybe she won't go off at me so much, so it's a win-win really._

"Do you think he will?" She asked quietly.

Malik grinned. _If only Shadi could hear her, he'd come running!_

"Of course! If you don't believe me, check your necklace!. He likes you, Ishizu."

Ishizu smiled. "Thank you for the kind words brother. Perhaps it is time to take your guest home."

_You read my mind! _Malik smiled back. "Well good luck on your journey."

Shadi and Rashid, as always with perfect timing, returned from tea. Ishizu announced that she was going home, and Rashid said goodbye to Ishizu. Shadi said his goodbyes to the brothers as he decided to return to Egypt as well.

Ryou was waiting politely by the door when Malik turned to leave. Rashid walked out with them.

"That wasn't so bad." Said Ryou, getting into the car.

Malik smiled, sitting. "No, but with Ishizu, you never know. It might have been worse if it wasn't late and she was full of energy."

"Might have been worse if you weren't there." Malik added quietly, honestly speaking his thoughts aloud.

Not sure if Ryou heard, he dictated the address to Rashid. They rode in silence.

At Ryou's apartment block, Malik got out after Ryou.

"Listen," Malik gathered his courage and grinning, took a deep breath of freezing air. "Thanks."

Ryou looked at him calmly smiling, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. Malik wanted to take a picture right then because regardless of the ugly street light, and mediocre apartment block, nearby trash bin and all, right then, heart pounding in his chest, Ryou took his breath away.

Unsure what effect it would have on their usually strained relations, Malik, refusing to think, put his hands on Ryou's arms, and gave him a peck on his cheek.

He didn't even register what it felt like, apart from the hear pounding in his chest. Malik got in the car, managing to make himself turn his grin on a very still Ryou.

He waited in the car until Ryou walked into the building, before telling Rashid to go. His watch said 00:05.


End file.
